Postcard From Paradise
by StrawberryAngel143
Summary: *Story about the performer from Bucket and Skinner's prom and OC's* Sydney, Gabi, and Cody have always been best friends. On a summer vacation to The Bahamas, love sparks, friendships are tested, and of course a whole lot of drama! I don't own Jake Thrupp's anything or Cody Simpson's music.
1. Officially Insane

**This story is allowed on fanfiction by all rules under the Bucket And Skinner section. While this character only had a minor guest appearance on the show, if you check Wikipedia and all legal documents this person was NOT A PERFORMER but an actor on the show. He acted as a role, he played at Bucket and Skinner's prom acting as a musician, so this story is allowed under this category. I will fight this if you disagree, because this story is allowed now. I have checked and double checked the rules. Everything in this story now takes place in the "world of Bucket and Skinner" so to say, but they are not mentioned in the story. It's Cody's story, and the rest can be classified as OC's. Last names have been removed also, and are replaced with ** .Thanks, and have a great day!**

**Note: Hi everyone! So this story is a Cody and Jake love story. If you don't know who Jake is, he's Cody's best friend from Australia. I strongly advise looking him up, because he is insanely hot. The character Gabi is based off of me and Sydney is based off of SydneyCrush! Check out her stories, she's awesome! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story and will review!**

Two teenage girls lay asleep in the dimly lit room, one on the pristine white sofa and the other curled up on an air mattress. The guest bedroom they were sleeping in had the air of semi-permanence in it, as if whoever lived there was about to pack up and move at any second. Maybe it was from the pile of luggage at the door, or the lack of decorations gracing the walls.

The door cracked open, and a tall blonde boy walked in wearing sweat pants and an old white t shirt. He went to the girl sleeping on the couch first, since she was closest, and shook her shoulders.

"Sydney, wake up."

She sat up quickly, and rubbed her sky blue eyes.

"Dude," she moaned. "What?"

"It's four a.m., we have to wake up now if we wanna catch our flight…dude," Cody pushed her playfully, and she pushed him back with a small smile.

"Still, you could've woken Gabi up first," she kicked the air mattress where her best friend was still fast asleep, her long wavy light brown hair all over the place. "Then I could have slept longer."

"I was hoping you could wake her for me," Cody smiled winningly.

"Oh, no way," Sydney threw her long legs over the edge of the couch and stretched, then combed her fingers through her blonde hair.

"Please?" Cody asked. "Maybe she won't be as grumpy if you do it."

It was a well-known fact that Gabi wasn't really a morning person.

"Nope, it's all you bro," Sydney punched Cody in the arm, and stood up. She walked over to the clothes she and Gabi had lay out the night before. Today, the girls would be headed to The Bahamas with Cody, and one of Cody's friends that they'd never met from Australia. Sydney, Gabi, and Cody were best friends, and both girls were close with the Simpson family. Mrs. Simpson said she didn't trust Cody and Jake (the Australian friend) alone in The Bahamas, so she asked Gabi and Sydney if they'd go. Of course, they said yes, and were flying their for summer vacation with Cody. Jake would meet them at their hotel.

"Fine," Cody sighed. He got down on the ground, level with the air mattress, and gently poked the sleeping brunette's ribcage. "Wake up, Gabi," he said so quietly it was barely audible.

"That's not how you do it," Sydney said. "Here, watch."

She picked up a pillow from the ground and threw it right at Gabi's head, and shouted "get up!"

Gabi sat up bolt right, and saw Cody sitting next to her mattress. She slowly turned to him, glaring.

"Cody," she said her voice deathly quiet.

"It wasn't me," he said quickly. "It was Sydney, I swear, she just-"

"I'm over here," Sydney said. "It wasn't me."

Gabi looked from Cody to Sydney, and then shook her head.

"I don't believe either of you," Gabi lay back down and buried her face in the pillow, closing her chocolate brown eyes.

"You have to wake up if you want to make our flight," Cody rested his hand on her back.

"It's too early," she said, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"Wake up," Sydney threw another pillow at her, and she sat up again.

"So it was you!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Sydney teased.

She sighed, and got up. Cody stood up too, and Gabi walked over to the clothes where Sydney was.

"We need to leave here in fifteen minutes," Cody said, and he walked out of the room and closed the door.

They both changed; Gabi into a pair of low gray sweatpants with the word love written up the hip and a black tank top. She left her long brown hair down and put on only eyeliner and lip gloss. Sydney changed into a similar outfit, only with black sweatpants and a lime colored tank top. She pulled her blonde hair into a low ponytail and enhanced her eyes with a little charcoal liner and shadow, then lip gloss as well.

"I call sitting next to Cody on the plane," Gabi said, checking her lip gloss in the mirror.

"Why?" Sydney asked, slipping on a pair of Vans.

"Because I want to sleep and he's got like, gigantic shoulders."

"I'm sure Cody will take kindly to you using him as a pillow," Sydney laughed.

"Oh please," Gabi giggled, grabbing her suitcases. "Cody loves being used. Remember when he dated that Kylie girl?"

"Ugh don't remind me," Sydney groaned. She pushed the door open. "Why did he date her so long anyway?"

"Because he likes to be used," Gabi gestured with her hands wildly. "See? My point exactly!"

"Maybe you're right," Sydney chuckled as they walked down the stairs. "We should ask him."

As if on cue, Cody appeared outside the guest bedroom with his finger pressed to his lips.

"Don't talk, you'll wake up Tom," Cody whispered. "Head out to the car and I'll bring your bags out."

"We each have like, six suitcases," Sydney nodded to the armfuls of luggage they were both struggling with.

Cody waved it off.

"I'll manage," he whispered. "Leave the bags and I'll bring them out."

"Told you," Gabi smirked to Sydney.

"You're right," Sydney grinned back. "He does."

Cody looked from Sydney to Gabi.

"What are you two talking about now?" Cody asked wearily. When neither girl responded, he sighed. "See this is the problem with being best friends with two girls. I never know what you two are talking about."

"We'll explain in the car," Gabi dumped her bags in his arms and Sydney stepped forward hesitantly.

"You sure you can handle all these bags, Codes?"

"You're sweet for caring," Cody smiled at Sydney. "But when you say it like that you make me sound weak."

"And you say it's hard to be friends with girls?" Sydney laughed. Cody put his hands on her shoulders and spun her in the direction of the stairs, and she and Gabi descended the stairs.

"So you think he likes being used?" Gabi ran her fingers through her hair and sat down in the back seat. Sydney slid in next to her.

"Yep, totally."

"I agree."

A few minutes later, Cody came out and deposited the luggage into the trunk of his car. It took two trips, and then he hopped in the passenger seat as Mrs. Simpson came out of the house, her brown ponytail swinging around her shoulders.

"Ready to get going, girls?" she asked as she got in. She looked around at Sydney and Gabi with a wide smile on her face.

"Yes," both Sydney and Gabi replied simultaneously.

"I'm ready too, mum," Cody. "Remember me? Your son?"

"Oh, Cody," Angie laughed. "Don't get jealous."

"I am not jealous," he said defensively. "But you like Syd and Gabi more."

"Only sometimes," Angie laughed.

"I'm your son!" Cody was outraged as Gabi and Sydney laughed.

"Kidding, kidding," Angie assured him.

"Yeah, sure," Cody rolled his aqua hazel eyes, but he wasn't really mad. He hardly ever got upset.

"So," Angie said as she started to drive. "Gabi, Syd, are you two going to take care of my Cody in The Bahamas?"

"Yeah, of course," Sydney said.

"And make sure to keep him out of trouble?"

"I dunno," Gabi laughed, never one for holding back. "Cody's pretty hard to control."

"Oh is he?" Angie cast a disapproving look at her son.

"Am not," Cody defended himself.

"You so are! Remember that time at Justin's birthday party when you and Hailee went backstage and-"

"Oh, silly, silly Gabi," Cody reached back and drown out her voice with a hearty false chuckle. He pressed his hand to her mouth to silence her. "Always joking around and-Ow! Did you just bite me?"

Sydney laughed

"You sort of asked for that when you shoved your hand in her face," Sydney laughed.

"It's true," Gabi nodded.

"You girls are completely insane," Cody faced front again, and closed his eyes as he leaned back in his seat.

"That's why you love us."

The rest of the ride went by uneventfully, and soon they were at the airport. They waited until flight time, and then went to board the plane.

"I'm going to miss you," Angie said, sniffing a little.

"Aw, I'm going to miss you too, mum," Cody said.

"I meant Syd and Gabi, but sure, I'll miss you also."  
"Of course you did," Cody nodded. "That's just great."

"Oh, she's kidding," Gabi pushed Cody from behind him into his mother's arms, and they hugged. Angie had to reach up to kiss his cheek, and then she turned to both of the girls.

"I mean it," she said, hugging Sydney and kissing her on the cheek. "Take care of him, make sure he doesn't meet any girls or anything that aren't nice."

"Okay," Sydney nodded. "If he does, Gab and I will scare them away."

"Right," Gabi said as Angie hugged her too. "We can be super crazy when we want to be."

"All the time," Cody coughed from behind them, and Sydney turned around to stick out her tongue.

"Oh, that's mature," Cody said, with a laugh.

"Flight two thirty two is now accepting passengers!" A woman's voice called out over the airport.

"Well, that's us," Sydney said. "See you soon, Angie."

"Bye mum," Cody said as she pulled him in for another hug. "See you soon."

They all got onto the plane, leaving a teary Angie behind, and found seats next to each other.

"I want window," Gabi said, crawling into her seat and tucking her carry on into the spot above her. "And Cody, you have to sit next to me."

"Really?" he looked flattered. "You want me to sit next to you, Gab?"

"Because your soft," she said, unabashedly as she tucked one of her silky brown locks behind her ear.

"I have no idea how to take that," Cody replied, but he sat next to her anyway.

"She means your shoulders," Sydney clarified. "Apparently they can act as a pillow."

"I don't know what's weirder," Cody said. Sydney sat next to him on the other side. "The fact that she wants to use me as a pillow or the fact that you understand what she means."

"We talked about it earlier."

"Speaking of what we talked about earlier," Gabi grinned. "We have a question for you."

"Oh yeah!" Sydney said. "Cody, do you like being used?"

"What?" he asked. "No, of course not! Where did that come from?"

"Well, the fact that you dated Kylie for awhile," Gabi said.

"And the fact that you took all our luggage without being asked," Sydney added.

"And that you hear I'm going to use you as a pillow, but you sit next to me anyway."

"And-"

"Okay, okay," Cody said. "I get it. I don't like to be used, I'm just nice to girls. I'm a gentleman."

Sydney and Gabi looked at each other with smirks.

"One, two, three," Gabi counted.

"Awwwww," Gabi and Sydney said simultaneously, in annoyingly high voices. They both crowded Cody and threw their arms around him jokingly.

"Okay, okay," Cody laughed, pushing them off. "This is going to be a long flight, let's set up boundaries."

"Got it," Sydney stretched her legs out along Cody's and Gabi's laps, and Gabi snuggled into her seat with her head on Cody's chest, so the Australian boy was cramped in the middle with a pair of legs along his lap and a head on his shoulder.

"These good enough boundaries for you?" Gabi took headphones out of her bag and put them on.

Cody sighed.

"You two are officially insane."

**Review! 143! **


	2. First Impressions

"Cody, slouch down a little more," Gabi said, half asleep. Her brown hair was fanned out against the Australian boy's shoulders and her head was resting against his chest. The plane flew over the tip of Florida, almost at The Bahamas.

"Like this?" Cody asked patiently, wiggling down in his seat. He rested his hands on Sydney's ankles, which had been on his lap all flight along with the rest of her legs.

"Mhm," she said, cuddling into him. "Thanks…"

"You're welcome," he said, brushing a stray piece of her hair away from her face. "But you're gonna need to wake up soon, we'll be landing in like fifteen minutes."

"Really?" Sydney asked, slipping her headphones off to hear clearly. "Fifteen minutes?"

Cody nodded, and she yawned, then took her legs off his lap.

"That had to be the most comfortable flight I've ever had," Sydney said, running her fingers through her shoulder length blonde hair.

"For some," Cody said teasingly.

"What do you mean by that?" Sydney laughed.

"I don't know, why don't you ask your legs?" Cody said.

Sydney satisfied herself by picking up a flight pillow and hitting Cody in the head with it.

"You deserved that," she said as he reached up to straighten his hair.

"You messed up the hair," Cody said. "Millions of girls everywhere could kill you for that."

"Oh shut up," Sydney laughed, and she ran her fingers through it to put it back into place.

"We will land in ten minutes," the flight attendant's voice rang through the plane. "Please collect all of your belongings, then buckle into your seats."

Cody and Sydney collected their stuff, and Cody put Gabi's phone and mp3 player into the pink Pastry bag she had brought onto board. He shook her off his shoulder and she sat up groggily.

"Have a nice nap, Gab?" Sydney asked.

"Yep," she smiled peacefully. "I feel way better now."

"So you're not cranky anymore?" Cody playfully nudged her in the ribs.  
"Nope," she shook her head. "Are we landing?"

"Yeah, buckle up," Sydney said, and Gabi complied. The plane dipped back down towards the ground, and they linked hands as per ritual with their eyes squeezed shut.

"Landing was successful. Thank you all for flying."

The seat belts unlocked, and they all undid them.

"So now we get to meet your friend, Codes?" Gabi asked as they got off the plane, carry on-s tucked tight in their arms.

"Yup," he said.

"Forget that," Sydney waved it off. "We're in The Bahamas! Sun and sand and crystal clear water! This is going to be so much fun!"

Sydney smiled her usual always happy smile. She took one of Gabi's hands, and one of Cody's hands.

"Right? Isn't this going to be fun?" she pressed, wanting them to smile too. Sydney loved to make people happy.

"Yeah," Gabi laughed. "It's going to be a blast."

"I agree," Cody said, swinging her arm from their linked fingers. "Let's get our bags, then meet the car I arranged."

They all got their luggage in turn with laughs and shouts as they teased one another, and then walked out into the hot island sun. The air was thick and hot, the foliage giving off pleasant smells, and water sparkling turquoise in the distance. It truly was a paradise.

"So what's Jake like?" Sydney asked as they got into the rental car.

"Well, he's a lot like me actually," Cody said. "Blonde, blue eyes, born and raised on the Gold Coast…Um, he likes to surf and take pictures. He's a good bloke, really, pretty cool."

"This has got to be the most beautiful place in the world," Gabi said, on her knees as she stared out the window. "Everything is just so open and free and…just beautiful!"

The car continued to travel along the light washed roads, and soon stopped outside a modern house on the beach.

"Wow, Cody," Sydney breathed. "Is this where we're staying?"

"Nice, huh?" he grinned. "And we got it pretty much free, as long as I perform three concert's here a day."

"What?" Gabi and Sydney asked simultaneously.

"You can't be serious!"  
"You promised us you wouldn't work all vacation!"

"Kidding, kidding," Cody looked from both girls' pretty faces. "I thought it would make you laugh. I'm not working a day here, like I promised."

"Good," Sydney said, and Gabi nodded as they got their bags out of the car. They turned to face the front steps as the rental drove off, and the door flew open. A tall, tan blonde boy jumped down the steps wearing a t shirt and board shorts with his hat on backwards.

"Cody! Good to see you mate!"

"Hi Jake," Cody smiled to see his best friend again, and they did a bro-hug.

"You grew a little," Jake said.

"Almost at your height," Cody nodded. "What are you, like six feet even now?"

"Five eleven," Jake grinned. His light blue eyes traveled over Cody's shoulder to the two girls standing side by side, both gripping multiple suitcases. "Are these the girls you were telling me about?"

"Yep," Cody said, turning around. "This one's Sydney," he poked her in the side. "And this one's Gabi."

"Hi," Sydney said with her usual smile.

"Hey," Gabi said, not meeting his eyes.

"Hi, I'm Jake. Can I take any of those bags for you?"

"Yes, please," Sydney handed him one of her suitcases, and he turned to Gabi.

"I'm good," she said, turning away from him. She walked back to the trunk and unloaded the rest of her bags.

"Gab, are you sure?" Cody asked. "You've got a lot of stuff, and I have to take my own in so I can't do most of yours. Why don't you let Jake take the rest in?"

"Yeah, I don't mind princess," Jake said with a smile on his face.

Gabi whirled around.

"I said I got it, okay?"

Jake glanced at Cody, who shrugged and shook his head.

Gabi struggled to lift all of her pink bags at once, only succeeding in tipping herself over. Jake, who was next to her, caught her in her arms before she hit the pavement.

"Are you alright?" he asked in his thick Australian accent.

"I'm fine," Gabi said, her cheeks turning a little pink.

"I think maybe I should take a few of those," Jake said, taking the stacks of luggage out of her arms. She didn't object as he carried them inside.

"What was that?" Sydney asked Gabi, letting Cody take more than half of her bags along with his own. She flashed him a smile and he grinned back.

"What are you talking about?" Gabi brushed her side bangs out of her eyes.

"That whole thing with Jake," Sydney said. "You were like, blushing and stuff."

"I was not," Gabi defended.

"You're doing it right now!" Sydney said with a smile. "Oh my God, I know what's going on here!"

She dropped her bags onto the sidewalk and turned to Gabi, putting her hands on the brunette's shoulders and shaking her with a huge smile on her face.

"Gabi, you like him! You like Jake! Like, a lot! Oh my God, I can't believe it! And I can say I was standing right next to him the moment you laid eyes on hi-"

"Sydney, stop," Gabi said, still blushing. "Seriously, I don't like him."

But Sydney was now doing her special happy dance, paying no attention to Gabi.

"It's going to be perfect," she went on. "You'll be with him all summer, and what a better place to fall in love than in paradise? Wow, this is so amazing!"

Gabi just stared at her, and Sydney turned around again to face her best friend.

"Are you done?" Gabi asked, putting her hand on her hip. "I don't like Jake."

"Okay," Sydney laughed, picking up her bags again. But it was obvious she didn't believe Gabi. "Whatever you say."

Sydney walked inside, the same smile on her pretty face leaving Gabi to sigh gustily and pick up the only bag Jake hadn't managed to grab and follow her inside.

**Note: How do you guys like it so far? Again, Sydney is based off of SydneyCrush and Gabi is based off of me! Hope you all like it, and will review! Also, check out my other Cody stories on the sight…Cody Oneshots and Breaking The Rules. Review, 143!**


	3. Give Me A Chance

"This place is amazing!" Sydney gushed, holding the door open as Gabi followed her in. "Isn't it, Gab?"

"Yeah," she said, looking around. The floors were glossy hi-finished wood with white carpets and weird shaped red and white couches, and a whole bunch of bean bag chairs surrounding a white modern fire pit. The living room ran into the dining room, which was connected to the glossy contemporary kitchen.

"The bedrooms are upstairs," Jake said. He turned to Gabi, wearing a cocky half smile as he swung her heavy bags easily in one of his strong arms. "I'd suggest you taking the one next to mine just in case the monsters come out at night so I can protect you."

Gabi blushed, and Sydney's jaw fell in an open smile.

"Perfect," Cody said. "So she can take the one next to you, and Syd can sleep in the one next to mine."

"Sounds good," Sydney said.

"I never agreed to-" started Gabi, but Cody cut her off.

"So it's settled then! Come on, Syd, I'll show you around."

"Wait," Gabi grabbed Sydney's wrist, so she couldn't follow Cody. "Come talk to me."

"I wanna come!" Cody leaned on Sydney's shoulder, and she smiled up at him.

"Oooh, me too!" Jake said. "Girl talk!"

"No," Gabi said, uncharacteristically angry. "Stop, I want to talk to Sydney alone." She rolled her brown eyes and led Sydney into the next room.

"She's not like that all the time, is she?" Jake asked. "It would be a waste of such a pretty face."

"No, she's not," Cody grinned. "Well, except when she's sleepy then she gets a little grumpy. But you think she's pretty, huh?"

"Both of them are," Jake said, running a hand through his blonde locks. "But Sydney's already taken."

"She doesn't have a boyfriend," Cody said confusedly.

"Yeah, but it's so obvious to tell that you like her, mate."

Cody froze.

"I what?"

"Well, maybe it's her whose got the crush. The point is, attraction is there."

Cody stared at his best friend for a second, before laughing.

"You're totally crazy, Thr*pp."

In the kitchen, Gabi and Sydney were talking.

"I am not doing this all summer," Gabi hissed to Sydney, who was wearing her favorite happy-go-lucky smile.

"Doing what?" she asked pleasantly.

"Hanging out with Jake while you and Cody go off and do stuff. I don't even know that kid!"

"Well, so what? Get to know him. He's cute and single and he obviously likes you. What's so bad about it?"

Gabi stared at Sydney, her eyes narrowing.

"Cody never asks me to hang out on my own," Sydney said. "I'm sort of excited to go "explore" with him. It's going to be so fun!"

"I know what's going on here," Gabi said at last. "Oh my God, do you have a little crush on Cody?"

Sydney grinned, always in a good mood.

"Maybe," she admitted. "I don't know, I'm opening my mind to all sorts of possibilities. This is summer, Gabi. It's a time for new love and endless fun and adventures!"

"Only if you're from High School Musical Two," Gabi rolled her eyes.

"Dude, chill," Sydney laughed. "Don't be in such a bad mood, you know I'm right. And you like Jake too, so let's just go have fun okay?"

"I don't like him," Gabi called after Sydney again as she walked out of the kitchen and back to the guys. She followed.

"You so do," Sydney said back, her blue eyes shining. "And that's totally okay…So are we going to go explore Codes?"

"Yeah, let's just get our bags into our rooms and then we'll go out on the island," Cody said, giving Jake a glance. "Is it okay that we split up for the day?  
"Yeah, I think I can deal with that," Jake smirked at Gabi, who wiggled away from him and over to Cody.

"Don't leave me," she begged him, grabbing a hold of her best friend's arm. Cody laughed, and pried her off of him.

"Jake's a good guy, go have fun," Cody nudged her back to Jake and took Sydney's hand. "Let's go, Syd."

She followed him upstairs and they put their bags in their rooms, and then left out the front door laughing and smiling in the summer sun. Gabi turned to Jake, who reached up and tousled his hair a bit.

"Let me show you your room," he offered, extending his hand. When she didn't take it, he lowered it and picked up all of her bags instead.

"So here is yours," Jake gestured to a closed door. He pointed at the one next to it. "And that's mine."

Gabi stalked into the room, and Jake followed frowning a little bit. She brightened up at once at the sight of her room. The décor was ocean blue and white, with a huge double bed in the center and nautical accessories. The walls were white washed, and the floor was the same wood as downstairs but had a huge blue fuzzy carpet lain out. Best of all was a balcony overlooking the aqua water and masked in white breezy curtains that the wind was toying with.

"This is so pretty," she said. "Is Sydney's this nice?"

"Nearly identical," Jake said. "Only without the balcony, and purple instead of blue."

"Whoa," Gabi said, taking a closer look at the balcony. She opened the door and walked out, and was met with a strong breeze. "I think I just saw a dolphin in the water."

"There are a lot of them here," Jake followed her out and gripped the balcony ledge with one of his tan hands. "Usually at sunset, though. Maybe we can go out later and look for some in a few hours?"

"That'd be so fun," Gabi turned to him, her face shining.

"You really think so?" Jake asked, smiling too.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"It didn't seem like you liked me downstairs, that's all," Jake said, walking back inside. Gabi did too, and closed the door.

"I don't not like you," she said, blush creeping into her face again. "I just…"

"So you don't not like me," Jake repeated. "Does that mean you do like me?"

"Yeah, I-Wait, what exactly are you asking me here?"

"I think you're beautiful," he said, unashamed. "And I'd love it if later when we go to look for dolphins if it's an actual date, and not just hanging out."

She cast her eyes down.

"Um, I don't think-" she started.

"Please," Jake stepped forward as the wind blew the curtains around them, swirling like white caps on the ocean. His handsome face was bathed in natural light from the window, and his hand brushed hers casually as she peeked up at him meekly from under her lashes. "Give me a chance, I'll be good."

She laughed, and stepped backwards a little.

"I just don't really know you that well," she said. "I'm not saying no, but I think we should just try friends first. That way if it doesn't work out, this whole trip won't be awkward."

"Okay," he nodded. "I understand that. You know, you've got a level head on your shoulders. I think I like that."

She found herself grinning despite herself.

"Just help me unpack, Jake."

"Gladly," he said, and he grabbed one of her suitcases. Gabi set to work unzipping one of her bags, her cheeks blushing hard as she tried not to smile too widely.

oOo

"So what are we going to do all day out here?" Sydney asked, shielding her eyes from the hot island sun as she and Cody walked along the bustling street.

"I don't really know," he shrugged. "But we're staying out of the house to give Gabi and Jake some alone time."

"We are?" Sydney asked, pausing to look at a necklace on one of the many street venders displays.

"Yep," Cody said. "He likes her."

"She likes him," Sydney laughed. "Although she won't admit it…Do you have any idea where we're going by any chance?"

"Not a clue," Cody said with a grin. "But I've got my favorite girl beside me and the sun is shining, so I don't care."

Sydney stopped, and Cody did too.

"Did you just say I was your favorite girl?"

It was hard to tell because the sun was shining so hard, but Cody's cheeks seemed to grow a little pink.

"Only if that's okay with you," he said hastily. "I don't want to-"

"That's more than okay," Sydney beamed, and she took his hand in hers. It was different than the way they had held hands, mere hours ago at the airport. They were just friends then, and now it seemed like something more was budding.

But their relationship had always been a little different, Sydney decided as she and Cody walked down the sunny street fingers interlocked. Sure, they were best friends. But Gabi and Cody were best friends, too, and things were different with Cody and Sydney then they were with Gabi and Cody. Gabi looked at Cody as nothing more than a shoulder to lean-or in her case, sleep on. She never really noticed how his eyes glowed or how sweet his face was. Sydney, on the other hand, had noticed from the moment she met. She liked it when they'd hold hands, or hug, or when she'd fall asleep on him on a long car ride home and he'd put his arms around her comfortably. She has always had a little bit of a crush on him, now that she thought about it.

And now, here in The Bahamas during a whole summer full of nothing but time and opportunities, she was ready to do something about it.

**Note: Review, review, review! 143!**

** WritingVitality: Haha, you're so funny! And banana pancakes awesome? That is pretty fantastic, I don't know if I deserve banana pancakes status. :p**

** Anonymous: Ha, I like to mix things up a little! **

** Angela: Glad you like it, girlie!**

** Sydneycrush: I hope I'm capturing your personality alright, but just like in Breaking The Rules when I told Angela there will be parts where you wouldn't act the same as your character does. Haha, I hope that's okay!**


	4. Cheers

"Hey, it's nearly sunset," Jake knocked on Gabi's bedroom door. "Want to go look for dolphins?"

"Yeah," Gabi called back. She finished tying the strap of her white tiered polka dot red white and black two piece.

"Can I come in?" Jake asked, juggling the knob playfully.

"Hang on, I'm still changing."

"I assure you, I don't mind."

Gabi felt herself blush as she laughed, and she finished tying her bathing suit. She opened the door to find a shirtless Jake wearing blue board shorts and sunglasses. She bit her lip at the sight of his toned tan chest. Damn. Did he have to be _that _hot?

"You promised me you'd be good," she said, flipping her wavy golden brown locks into a quick ponytail and slipping on sunglasses.

"You're right," he sighed. "It's going to be hard."

She led the way out of her room and down the stairs, and she felt Jake's hand brush hers in an accidentally-on-purpose sort of way.

"You don't seem that bad," she said as he held the door for her. It was the little things he did like holding the door that proved he was a gentleman with a little edge.

"I'm not," he closed the door softly, and they started to walk to the beach behind the house. "I'm a nice guy, really. But when I want something, I go for it. And this time, my dear, that something happens to be you."

Gabi tilted her sunglasses down to look at him as they walked across the hot sand in the remaining rays of sunlight.

"You want me?"

"In every way possible," he said, again with that same unashamed way. "And by the end of the summer, I bet I'll have you."

Gabi laughed as they loomed close to the water's edge.

"Well, I'm not that easy to get."

He grinned.

"I think that's what makes it so much fun. But mark my word, by the end of this summer you'll be mine."

"Challenge accepted."

oOo

"I'm starving," Cody said as he and Sydney walked into the house.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too," she said. "Want to have a cooking adventure or go out?"

"Cooking adventure, I think," Cody said. "With Gabi and Jake. We haven't seen them all day."

"Gabi!" Sydney called. "Jake! You guys here?"

"I guess they went out," shrugged Cody.

Sydney laughed, imagining the unenthusiastic Gabi out with Jake.

"She probably wants to kill me right about now," Sydney said with a smile.

"And me," Cody added. "…Maybe we should have taken her with us. I feel a little bad."

"Oh, she can handle herself," Sydney waved it off. "You know how she can be when she's in a bad mood."

"You're right, it's probably Jake that wants to kill me, actually," Cody chuckled. "So let's go out to grab dinner. We can have a cooking adventure, as you call it, tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Sydney grinned, and Cody took her hand once more and led her out of the house.

oOo

"Okay, ready to go in?" Jake asked, scanning the beach. The water was gold flecked from the setting sun, and everything was bathed in a molten orange color.

"Yeah," Gabi dipped her toes into the water. "It's cold!"

"I can keep you warm," Jake threw his sunglasses into the sand and Gabi did the same.

"Nice," Gabi reminded him, and a smile drifted onto his face.

"I am being nice," he promised. "I swear."

She looked up at him as they waded in, almost at their waists.

"Promise?"

"Promise," he nodded.

"Okay," she said. "So where should we look to find the-Jake!"

He tackled her into the crystal clear ocean water with a laugh, and she spluttered as she shook salt water out of her hair. They had landed in a position with him floating on his back, and she drifting a little above him. Unthinkingly, she reached to put her hands on his shoulders to keep herself afloat.

"That was me being not nice," he said, his pretty eyes alight. He put his hands on her waist, at her hipbones and propelled them a little in the water. She found his face close to hers, the droplets of water shining on her face like diamonds. She leaned down a little, her stomach pressed against his, to link her arms around his neck as they floated, and Jake's lips came towards hers.

Gabi quickly slid off of him into the water and kicked off a little, putting distance between them. She cleared her throat.

"So dolphins. Where are they?"

oOo

"Sydney, do you think something's changed?"

"Hmm?"

Sydney and Cody sat across from each other at a cute little island restaurant, eating.

"I mean, like…Well, how do you like me? As a friend or…something more?"

Sydney looked down at her hands.

"I think…maybe something more," she said slowly. "But if that freaks you out then forget I said it. I mean, I know we've been friends for years but I think I've always sort of liked you."

Cody smiled.

"Really? Why?"

"I honestly don't know," she shrugged, and Cody's smile turned into a laugh.

"Oh thanks," he chuckled. "That's a boost to my confidence."

"Well, how do you think I feel?" Sydney laughed back. "Here I am telling you I have a crush on you and you're not telling me anything back."

"That's because I don't really know what to say," admitted Cody. "I mean, I love spending time with you and I love how we can laugh and be honest like this, but I don't want anything to be weird between us. Honestly, if we did start to date what if it didn't work out? Would that be throwing away years of friendship?"

"That's true," Sydney nodded. "But now that you know how I feel, won't it all be there anyway?"

"You're right. Maybe if we just take things slowly it won't turn out badly," Cody said. "So I'm not saying no to you, because in truth I think I might like you too."

"Great," Sydney grinned, picking up her frosty glass of lemonade. "Cheers to taking things one step at a time."

Cody grinned.

"Cheers."

**Note: Hope you all liked it! Well, the few people who are reading it liked it…Please review, okay? Thanks so much, 143!**


	5. Ever Hear Of Love At First Sight?

"Gabi!" Jake called. The brunette stirred in her sleep, tired out from her first day in The Bahamas. "Gabi, I need you to come here! It's an emergency!"

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, checking the clock. She groaned. Jake was waking her up at three a.m. Really?

"Be quiet, I'm sleeping!" Sydney yelled from down the hall.

"I'm trying to wake Gabi up!" Jake called back.

"Better not do that," Cody shouted from the room next to Sydney's. "She isn't so sweet when she's tired!"

"I don't care, I need to ask her a question!" Jake yelled across the house.

"So get out of bed and go wake her up," Sydney called. "We're all trying to sleep here!"

"But-"

"Everybody shut up!" Gabi yelled. The house went silent and she got up out of bed. In shorts and a tank top, she walked next door and pushed Jake's bedroom door open without knocking.

"Of course you sleep shirtless," she muttered under breath.

"What's that, love?" Jake asked, propping himself up on his pillows with a smile.

"Nothing. What'd you want?"

"I wanted to ask you if you'd go out with me tomorrow."

Gabi glared at him for a second, and then she sighed.

"Yeah, sure."

"Whoa," Cody and Sydney appeared at the door. Cody's arm was around her shoulders.

"Jake," Sydney slowly shook her head. "I think you're probably the first person to wake her up and have her be civil to you."

"I say he wakes her up tomorrow morning," Cody said.

"And the morning after that," Sydney added.

"And the morning after that…"

"And the morning after that!"  
"Leave," Jake pointed out the door. Gabi started to walk but Jake reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Not you, just Syd and Cody."

"All we're saying is she must really like you," Cody said, and Sydney started to laugh.

"Leave," Jake said again, and then they left both laughing, hands interlocked.

"I'm going back to bed," Gabi pulled her hand away from Jake and turned around to leave.

"Kay, love you."

Gabi stopped.

"What did you just say?"

"I said I love you," repeated Jake with a grin, and Gabi couldn't help but laugh.

"We just met, there's no way you could possibly mean that."

"Ever hear of love at first sight?"

Gabi blushed lightly and smiled. She started to walk out of Jake's room, but her foot caught on his bedpost and she tripped. He caught her with a laugh.

"Careful, there," he laughed from under her and reached up to tuck a strand of her hair away from her face. His face glowed in the special smile that he saved just for her.

"I'm clumsy, you should probably know that," Gabi giggled.

"That's alright…Hey, you know what?"

"What?"

"I know I promised to be good, but I can't help pointing out that we just met and you're already in my bed. If things keep going at this rate, my summer goal will be easily attainab-"

"What's your full name?" Gabi cut him off.

"Jake Lawson Thr*pp, why?" he asked, sort of confusedly.

"Because maybe it'll be easier to yell at you if I know your full name. You know, like when you're training a dog-"

"Shh," he cut her off this time, and pressed his finger to her lips to silence her. She was still on top of him, his arms locked around her middle preventing her from movement.

"Why do I need to shh?" she asked sort of innocently, and Jake pulled his eyes away from her big brown ones.

"Because you'll wake me up," he said, cuddling her closer and closing his eyes.

"Then let me up," she drummed on his chest. "I'll leave so we can both sleep."

"It'll be a lot more fun if you snuggle in beside me," he said, but she walked to the door.

"Nice try."

He shrugged good-naturedly.

"Thought I'd give it a go."

She smiled and opened the door.

"Wait," he said, and she turned around.

"Yeah?"

He grinned his cocky smile and reached up to tuck a strand of his perfectly tousled, beautiful blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Goodnight, Gabi."

"Goodnight Jake."

She walked into her bedroom, and closed the door not noticing Sydney and Cody crouched in the dark hallway listening. Sydney's eyes were alight and Cody wore a smile on his face.

"Did you hear that?" he poked her in the side, and she turned to him bright eyed.

"Yeah," Sydney wiggled happily. "How cute are they?"

"Not as cute as we will be one day," he murmured, and she grinned.

"One day," she repeated. "Once we get there."

"You know," Cody stood up and helped her to her feet. "As much as I love the way Gabi and Jake act together and how fast they're moving, I can't help but thinking our relationship is more fulfilling."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, Jake's already said I love you and they've only known each other a little while. I think it'll be a lot more satisfactory to move slower."

"I guess you're right," Sydney said, thinking hard. "But Gabi isn't one to move slow, and by the looks of it neither is Jake."

"Then I guess they're perfect together," Cody nodded and Sydney laughed.

"Not as perfect as we will be. Someday."

"Can I tuck you in?" Cody asked as they approached Sydney's room.

"I'd love that."

Cody took her hand and opened her door. He led her into her room and she lay down in her bed, giggling. He brought her sheets over her shorts and t shirt and then tucked her into her bed, snug. He leaned down and brushed his lips tenderly on her forehead.

"Goodnight, Syd," Cody said, his handsome face lit up in the half-light streaming in from the moonlight at the window. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Will you dream about me tonight?"

Sydney laughed and cuddled into her bed comfortably.

"I'll do my best."

oOo

The next morning, Sydney cautiously walked into her best friend's room. Gabi was sleeping, of course. It was only eight a.m., but Sydney was an early riser.

"Hey, wake up," Sydney shook her a little bit. "It's a new day, we're in The Bahamas."

"Mhm," Gabi mumbled, and Sydney pulled her to her feet even though she was still sort of asleep. "Idon'twanna…"

"Wake up," Sydney said, trying to balance her.

Gabi opened her eyes, looking a little confused.

"Hi," she said sleepily to Sydney. "Why'd you wake me up?"

"I wanted to tell you something about last night with Cody."

"Oh, God," Gabi groaned, and Sydney playfully nudged her. Both girls sat back down on the unmade bed.

"Not like that. You've been spending too much time with Jake."

"Have not," Gabi giggled. "So tell me about you're night."

"Actually, let's go through the whole day. Okay, so firs me and Cody went for a walk on the island…"

Gabi listened patiently to her best friend, laughing and smiling throughout the romantic, fluffy story Sydney was telling. When she finished, Gabi clapped her hands together.

"That is so sweet," she said, her eyes lit up. "He really tucked you in like that?"

"Yeah, isn't that-"

"Knock knock," Cody's voice came at the door.

"Come in!" Sydney beamed, just at the sound of his voice.

"We're going to make pancakes," Cody said, in his pajamas. "Will you girls help us?"

**Note: How is everyone liking this so far? I really like to write it because I like putting two totally different relationships (Gabi and Jake's fast-moving, spontaneous one and Cody and Sydney's slower, romantic one) together in the same story to watch what becomes of both. Haha, I'm a little crazy but that's okay! So review, and let me know what you think! 143!**


	6. Pancakes

"Where's Jake?" Gabi asked, trying to sound as though she didn't care. Cody and Sydney grinned and looked at each other as they started to walk downstairs to the kitchen, intent on making breakfast.

"He's still asleep," Cody said. "I figured you'd probably want to wake him up."

"Why's that?" Gabi asked, looking at Cody with raised eyebrows.

"Because you loooove him," said Sydney, and the brunette rolled her eyes.

"Do not," she said.

"Well he loves you," Cody said back. "He said so last night."

Gabi's jaw fell, and she turned to glare at Cody.

"You were listening?" she asked, feeling her heart pound in anger. Cody winced.

"Well, kind of."

"Oh my God!" Gabi said, looking a little upset. "That was private, Cody, I can't believe you! How could you do that? I don't intrude on you and Sydney, the least you could do is show me a little respect and pay me the same courteously."

"Well-"

"Don't even start," Gabi shook her head, and her side bangs formed a curtain over her eyes which looked a little bright. "Suddenly I don't really feel like hanging out with you guys."

She turned around and walked to her room, then slammed the door shut.

"What'd I do?" Cody turned to Sydney.

"I guess we probably shouldn't have been listening to them last night," Sydney said, a little guiltily. "You know Gabi as well as I do, she's not very open all the time. And that was probably her first real moment with a guy like Jake, someone she actually seems to like…We should apologize for spying on them, Codes."

"No, we shouldn't," Cody caught her hand as she turned around to double back to Cody's door. "She's not looking for drama, this isn't really a big deal. She'll be fine after she cools off."

Sydney raised her eyebrows.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, now let's go downstairs…"

Sydney didn't budge.

"Well we can't just leave her in their alone; she's probably kind of hurt."

"You heard her," Cody sighed. "She wants to be alone."

"No, she just said she didn't want to hang out with us." Sydney grinned. "Go wake Jake up."

"I'm already awake," Jake appeared at the door, tugging a t shirt on over his shorts.

"Perfect, go hang out with Gabi."

Cody took Sydney's hand and led her downstairs, leaving Jake to knock at Gabi's door.

"I said I don't want to hang out with-"

"It's Jake."

"Oh. Come in, then."

Jake pushed the door open and found her making her bed, already dressed.

"You alright?" he asked, sitting down on top of the balcony gate.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Jake didn't press the matter, and changed the subject.

"Cool. So remember last night when you agreed to go out with me?"

"Of course," she said with a little laugh, turning to him. He reached out and took her hands. With him sitting and her standing, they were about the same height. He pulled her into him a little, between his knees.

"Well I know what we're going to do."

"Okay, what is it?"

"There's this really cool little place up about two and a half miles from here. It's like, a trail and once you get to the top there's this beautiful water fall and all these flowers, and I wanted to take you."

"Okay, that sounds great," she said. Jake turned his head a little to the side, studying her.

"Are you sure you're okay, Gabi?"

"I'm fine," she sighed. "It's just…Cody and Sydney were listening last night. They heard everything."

Jake rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't surprise me," he said with a laugh.

"It's not funny," she said, her eyes falling. "I don't like that they heard all of that, I don't like that they heard you tell me you love me for the first time ever. It just sort of ruins it."

"Come here," Jake pulled her close and sat her on his lap, wrapping his strong arms around her waist. He kissed her on the cheek and then fiddled with a strand of her hair. "It doesn't matter that they heard, I was saying it for you and only you. We'll have lots of other firsts that they'll never even know about."

Gabi smiled.

"You're right, I guess," she slid off his lap. "I don't really know why it bothers me so much. Not a lot of stuff does."

"Well, let's just forget about it, alright love?"

She paused for a minute, and Jake stood up. He wrapped his arms around her, crisscrossing around her middle and she tilted her chin way up to like at him.

"Okay?" he murmured quietly, smiling down at her.

She giggled, and he ran his index finger across her the tip of her nose quickly.

"Okay."

oOo

"So I guess we need eggs," Sydney was reading a pancake recipe aloud to Cody, who was taking the necessary supplies out of the fridge.

"Okay," he said. "Got it…Eggs, milk, butter, flour. Anything else?"

"Vanilla extract, if we have it."

He reached up into the cabinet and took out the tiny brown bottle.

"Okay, so now we get a cup of this, a half a cup of this…" Sydney set to work measuring ingredients and pouring them into a bowl as Cody watched her. He sat up on the counter.

"And then we mix it," continued Sydney.

"Hey, you know what?" Cody interrupted. Sydney set the bowl down at turned to him.

"What?"

"You're pretty," Cody smiled sweetly, and Sydney laughed.

"Aw," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks. So are you."

Cody chuckled and flipped his hair like a girl.

"Thanks," he said, trying to make his voice sound high. "The trick is cucumbers and seaweed. I go to the spa for wraps aaaaaaall the time."

Sydney cracked up, and Cody cleared his throat.

"How was that?" he asked, his voice back to normal. "Did I sound like an actual girl?"

"Yeah, I guess," Sydney said, still laughing. "You're so weird! Why would you do that?"

"To make you laugh, of course," Cody said. He reached out to take her hand, and she linked her arms around his neck.

"Hey, need help with anything?" Gabi's cheery voice asked as she and Jake appeared at the doorway. Her cheeks were a little pink, and Jake wore a smile.

"Yeah, sure," Sydney took her arms away from Cody, and she went back to the bowl. Cody looked disappointed, but he reached out and plucked Gabi away from Jake. He put his arms around her from behind as Sydney told Jake to mix the batter, and showed him how.

"We all good?" Cody asked into her ear.

"Yeah," Gabi said, hugging him back. "Sorry I freaked out."

"It's cool," Cody grinned.

"Cody, come set up this skillet with me," Sydney called, messing with the dials on a black metal skillet.

"Coming, angel," he said, and he walked over to her. Gabi walked over to where Jake was sitting at the kitchen table mixing pancake batter and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Watcha doin'?"

"Mixing this stuff," he said. "Want to help?"

"Um, no," she laughed, and Jake lifted the spoon out of the batter.

"Do you think its mixed okay?" he asked, waving the batter covered spoon on front of her face. She took a step back.

"Yeah, it's fine," she laughed.

"Come on, you can hardly see it," Jake replied. "Get a little closer, and then tell me."

Gabi fell right into his trap, and leaned closer to the spoon. He bumped it against her cheek, leaving a strip of gooey batter on her face.

"Jake, I'm going to kill you!" she laughed, grabbing the bowl from his hands.

"Uh oh!" he got up from the kitchen and headed to the dining room as Gabi chased him. She took a handful of the batter and slapped it onto his cheek. He laughed, and got the bowl from her and dumped it clean over her head.

"Jake Lawson Thrupp!" she laughed covered in pancake batter. "Oh my gosh, it's so cold!"

"Haha, I win!"

"Okay, well how about I give you a hug to congratulate you?" Gabi laughed, and she threw her sticky arms over him.

"No," Jake tried to make it seem like he was running away, but he let her tackle him to the floor, giving in completely. She wiggled onto him, getting pancake batter onto his chest and in his hair.

They lay there for a minute, laughing and covered in pancake batter until Sydney came into the living room to see what was going on. She sighed.

"Cody, we're going to need more batter!"

**Note: Haha, cute-ish? Eh, I tried. Review! **


	7. First Dates

"Okay, Gab," Jake said as they all cleared the breakfast plates. "Go put your bathing suit on under clothes, then grab shoes so we can get going.  
"Where are you two headed?" Cody asked, a puzzled expression gracing his perfect features.

"A date, you can't come," Jake said shortly.

"Not a date," Gabi called as she ascended the steps to her room.

"It is and you know it," Jake called back.

"So it's a date then," Cody chuckled, and Sydney started to laugh from the kitchen where she was putting the breakfast things away.

"Sure is," Jake agreed.

"You two are hilarious," Sydney appeared at the door, a dish cloth in her hands.

"Another reason you should make Gabi admit she loves me," Jake said to Sydney. "You _are_ on my side, right love?"

"I'm on…Gabi's side," Sydney declared. "But I admit, if she does like you that'd be amazing. You're pretty cool."

"Well, we know she's like, in love with him," Cody said as Gabi came back down, dressed in shorts, a tank top, an Converse. "Aren't you, Gab?"

"I only like him a little," the brunette checked herself in the mirror.

"A little is just enough," Jake grinned, putting his arms around Gabi and pulling her close, away from the mirror.

"Hey, I needed that," she giggled.

"No you don't, I'll be your mirror."

Gabi laughed, tilting her head up to look at him. His arms were around her from behind, his chest pressed against her back. "Okay, then. How do I look?"

"Beautiful," he said at once. He leaned down a little, bringing his lips to hers, but she wiggled away.

"Jake," she pushed him away but it was clearly evident she was trying not to smile.

"Okay, we're out of here," Jake allowed her to squirm away, and grasped her hand instead. "She let's me touch her when we're alone."

"I so do not," Gabi assured Sydney and Cody.

"She does," Jake led her out the door with a wink.

"Be a gentleman," Cody yelled as Jake was almost out the door. They watched him pull her close again, and she pushed him away once more.

Jake wore his cocky half-smile as he reached over to close the door.

"She loves it, she's just denying it."

"I'm glad you're not like him," Sydney turned to Cody as Jake and Gabi disappeared.

"Right," Cody grinned cheekily. "I'm way cuter."

"Very true," Sydney said. "So what are we going to do now that we're all alone?"

"Well, it's getting a bit cloudy," Cody peered out the window. "I don't know what the other two are up to, but it involves getting wet."

"They won't mind. So I guess we're hanging inside?"

"Yeah…Hey, wanna watch a movie?"

"I'd love to. Which one?"

"A romantic one," Cody said, blushing a little.

"Why?" Sydney asked, confused.

"Because," Cody said sounding more sure of himself now. "Because I think i actually do sort of like you Syd. It could be like our first official date, and what's a better date than snuggling during a rainstorm watching a romantic movie?"

"Really?" Sydney beamed up at him.

"Really."

oOo

"How much longer until we get to the top?" Gabi asked slightly breathlessly as she and Jake walked up a nearly vertical grassy hill.

"We've been going for miles," he said, just as out of breath. "So we're almost there. If you're tired, I'll carry you baby."

She laughed, peering up at the sky. The sun had disappeared, but it was humid and cloudy.

"I'm not tired, just really hot."

"You can say that again."

When Gabi didn't reply, he continued to speak in his thick accent.

"I'm sort of hot, too. I'm going to take my shirt off."

Gabi felt her cheeks grow warmer.

"I'd rather you didn't, actually," she said as they walked up the winding hill.

"Why's that?"

"Because," she said simply. "Let's just say I'll have a hard time focusing on the trail, and we'll leave it at that."

Jake grinned.

"Well in that case I'll leave it on. We're almost there anyway…But just so you know, once we get to the waterfall I'm taking it off to swim with you so you'll just have to deal with my amazing abs."

Gabi laughed.

"You're so full of it."

"Oh yeah? Okay, we'll see…"

"Great," Gabi rolled her eyes. "So if I drown watching you show off, you're not allowed to come to my funeral."

"I'd rescue you."

"Why should I trust you?" she teased, and he turned around.

"Because, like I said before. I love you."

Gabi shook her head, her brown hair falling into her eyes.

"I still don't believe that. You can't love someone you've known for two days."

"Well babe," Jake turned back forward. "I guess you just don't know me very well."

oOo

Cody and Sydney were snuggled up on the couch, intertwined with blankets falling over them as they watched the movie playing on screen.

"She's so pretty," Sydney said, as the camera panned in on the main female role, a gorgeous woman with tight black curls and cherry lips. "I wonder how she gets her hair like that…?"

"Yeah," Cody agreed. "I guess she's pretty. But not as pretty as you."

Sydney smiled and tucked a piece of silky blonde hair behind her ear.

"You're way too nice to me," Sydney said with a flutter of her eyelashes.

"Please," Cody rolled his eyes playfully. "I'm not even half of what you deserve, Syd."

Sydney snuggled in a little closer to Cody, and he wrapped his arms around her. His touch was warm, familiar and comforting. But at the same time, it brought little goose bumps of pleasure up her arms.

He leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead.

"That's so not true," she said softly. She looked up at him, and pushed his blonde hair out of his beautiful, crystal eyes. She giggled. "But if you were, you know what?"

"Hmm, what?" he reached up and held her hand to his cheek, closing his eyes.

"I'd take you anyway," she giggled. Cody grinned, and pulled her down on the couch with him. He held her tight and kissed her hair a billion times.

"I. Never. Thought," Cody said between kisses. "That. I would. Feel. Like. This. For. You."

Sydney closed her eyes, savoring in each kiss and a grin floated across her lips.

"Feel like what?"

"Well, I've always loved you," Cody whispered. "But the same way I loved Gabi, like a friend. Now I feel…different."

"Good," Sydney turned onto her other side, facing him. Her perfect nose was inches from his, and his smile was radiant. "Different is good."

oOo

"So this is it. What do you think?"

"Jake, this place is beautiful," Gabi said, her innocent eyes widening as she looked around.

The giant mound they had climbed up had topped in a rise with the greenest color grass imaginable. Thick, bright colored flowers grew everywhere, and the air smelled of them mingling with the fresh waterfall that was coursing down the jagged, jade colored rocks.

"It looks like rain, though," Jake tilted his blonde head to the sky.

"That's okay," Gabi said walking to the water fall and peering down it, to the huge aqua cauldron about thirty feet down.

"How about we play in the water?" Jake suggested. "Last time was fun, remember? We almost kissed?"

"I couldn't forget if I tried."

Gabi felt Jake's eyes lingering on her as she stripped out of her clothes over her bathing suit.

"What?" she asked self-consciously as he stared. "My boobs aren't showing, are they?"

Jake laughed, and before he could stop himself blurted out:

"I wish."

Gabi's cheeks barely turned pink this time, a sure sign that she was getting used to him.

"You promised me when this whole thing started you'd be nice."

"I'm trying, I really am," he said a little desperately. "Can't you see that? Haven't I been doing a little better, at least?"

She searched his face with amused eyes.

"Yeah," she said at last. "I guess you are."

"Good enough to get a little reward?" Jake took her by the wrists and pulled her into him. He leaned in to kiss her again, but just like the other times she pushed him away.

"Not quite."

"Wait," Jake let go of her for a moment and struggled to pull off his shirt with a smirk. He took her back into his arms. "Say no now, I bet you can't."

Gabi looked into his light blue eyes, her heart racing, She opened her smiling mouth to speak.

"Absolutely, one hundred percent…no."

Jake's face fell.

"You're such a tease," he sounded a little aggravated, but then he smiled. "I love it, makes you more of a challenge."

She rolled her eyes, and took his hand.

"Come on, I wanna get behind the water fall before it rains."

"Like it makes a difference," Jake said, but he let the girl who was so much shorter than him lead him to the water's edge.

"Okay, baby, so what you're going to do is put your foot on that stone right there, and then hold onto me tight so you don't slip."

"Like that?" she asked taking a timid step onto the flat, crystal-like rock.

"Yeah, perfect," he put his hands around her hips protectively, then stepped onto the rock with her. He was so close to her, she could feel his warm chest brushing against her elbow and feel his breath in her hair.

"So then take another step," Jake guided her to the next rock, and she felt herself slipping.

All in one motion, she turned and locked her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his chest.

"You're good," he murmured, holding her protectively. "I've got you."

"I don't think I like this very much," she said, peering up at Jake with wide brown eyes.

"You're adorable when you're scared," he held her even closer and felt her shaking a little with his steady grip. "Hey now, I promise you're okay. I'm not going to let a thing hurt you, darling."

When she didn't reply, he tilted her chin up.

"Baby," he said, his voice soft and concerned. "I will never, ever let anything hurt you. And as long as I'm here, you will not fall. I promise…Do you trust me yet?"

Gabi forced a smile.

"We're standing here on a hill that we walked four miles out in the woods, on a slippery jagged rock right before a storm with nothing beneath us but water and I'm holding on to _you. _What do you think, Jake?"

He laughed.

"Perfect. SO now that you're feeling better, can I have a kiss?"

"Let's just keep going," she smiled. She moved her arms a little lower, onto his shoulders, but did not move away. Noticing this, Jake smiled.

"Okay, next step."

Jake led her across the row of stones until they were nearly behind the water fall.

"So here's the tricky thing," Jake said. "The next steps are really small, so you have to jump across by yourself. I promise you won't fall if you land first on your right foot, then your left, then your right, then your right again, then your left."

Gabi's lips moved as she memorized the instructions, then she nodded.

"Okay, you go first."

Jake gently pried her off of him, then leapt across the rocks like a pro landing on the slab of sturdy stone behind the waterfall.

"Okay, see? Simple. Can you do it?"

Gabi nodded, and took a deep breath. She jumped across the rocks , balancing and leaping and then she landed next to Jake.

"I did it!" she clapped excitedly. "Oh my god, Jake, I've never done anything like that! I swear, you make me feel so crazy, haha, I'd never, ever do that before I met you!"

She was squealing and bouncing around. Jake grinned, watching.

"Seriously, that was so amazing! Oh my god, Jake, I could just…"

Gabi threw her arms around his neck and pushed her lips against his before either one of them could think. Their lips melted together, and Gabi felt a jolt of excitement and happiness in her stomach. Jake responded enthusiastically, putting his arms around her and pulling her closer.

Gabi pulled away with a giggle.

"I can't believe I just did that!" she shouted, and she ran off the rocks and straight into the waterfall. Jake followed, jumping into the waterfall with a happy shout also.

They both hurtled to the aqua pool, crashing into the aqua crystal clear water. Jake found her underwater, and she opened her eyes to see his face inches from hers. He grinned, and gestured underwater for her to come closer. She resurfaced for a moment for a breath, and then dove back under. Jake was waiting patiently, and when she swam close enough he took her face in his hands and smashed his lips to hers again.

She stabilized herself in the underwater kiss by wrapping herself around him, her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck. They kissed and kissed, until Jake allowed them to float up to the surface only for air.

"It's raining," Gabi said, her face flushed from so much excitement. Sure enough, rain was pouring down against the rocks and all around them.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Jake touched his lips with his finger, feeling her linger in his mouth. That was easily the most amazing kiss he'd ever had. "Gabi, you kissed me."

"I know," she smiled, and he grinned back.

"Why?"

"Because you were just, like, really sweet," she said, staring into the rain above. "And I like the way you make me feel, I guess. Seriously, Jake I swear. There's not a single person in the world I'd have done that with."

"That makes me so happy," Jake lifted her out of the water and onto the stone. He pushed her down onto her back, and hovered over her his nose inches from hers. Rain splattered down around them, onto Jake's back. It would have gotten her if he hadn't been shielding her.

"You are the most amazing girl I've ever met," Jake said, tilting his head a little. "And I'll do anything to be with you."

She found herself grinning, and Jake leaned down. He pressed his lips onto hers, feeling the same remarkable feeling fill him. He kissed her smiling lips, and then pulled away.

"Jake? I have a secret to tell you."

Jake kissed her again, his lips drifting over hers tenderly.

"Hmm? What is it?"

He lay another kiss against her lips, still lying on top of hr but supporting his own weight. Her wet, golden brown hair was fanned out against the stone and her heart was beating fast.

"Kiss me again first."

Jake complied, and this time he opened his mouth a little to nibble on her bottom lip. She allowed her mouth to open a little too, and he found his way inside her to the inner part of her lips. They explored each other's mouths for a moment, both feeling the way only a first kiss with someone you could picture yourself forever could make someone feel.

"Okay," she mumbled against him. "Like I was saying, I have a secret to tell you."

"Tell me," he said eagerly, and his lips traveled from her lips to her jawbone, then along her neck. He nibbled on her collarbone, and she giggled as his hair tickled her cheek.

"Jake, I think I love you too."

**Note: Did you like it? Review! Oh, and take my poll about this story! Review, review, review, review, review! Or else I'll eat your faces. Okay, fine, I won't. Review and you get a…a…a puppy! Yeah! Who doesn't like those? 143!**


	8. More Than Okay

**Thanks to Balloonkiller for the awesome ideas for last chapter and this one too. But she won't admit Jake Thrupp's hot. But we all know he is.**

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Sydney stared out the window, worry etched into her pretty face. Cody stood behind her, his arms around her.

"I'm sure they're just running a little late," he gave her shoulders a quick squeeze. Rain was pouring down in streaks now and the air was frigid. Fog filled the sky, and Gabi and Jake had been gone for hours. "Why don't you come back in the house, Syd?"

She nodded and walked inside, and Cody shut the door softly. They both looked at the clock. Almost eight…Gabi and Jake had gone directly after breakfast. Where were they?

"How about we…call them?" Cody suggested in a desperate attempt to make Sydney feel better, since she was pacing the floor now.

"We can't, they left their phones here," she said. "There wouldn't have been signal where they were going, apparently."

"Oh…Well, want to get dinner started while we wait?"

Sydney nodded, and Cody took her hand.

"You okay, baby? You're being really quite."

"I'm just worried," she said with a forced smile. "It's fine, though. What do you want to make?"

"Pizza," Cody said instantly, opening up the fridge. He took out a glob of readymade pizza dough wrapped in plastic and plopped it on the counter.

"Oh, fun," Sydney said. "Okay, find some tomato sauce and cheese and whatever else you want on it."

"Cheese is gross," Cody wrinkled his nose, and Sydney turned to him with a smile. The kitchen was cheerier than the dankly light outdoors, with its bright fluorescent lights, white tiled floors and cozy heat from the pre-heating stove.

"You need cheese for pizza, silly head," Sydney giggled, putting her arms around him. He put his own around her, with a grin .

"You look so pretty," he sighed happily. "Sydney, I think we make a good couple."

She looked up at him.

"You do?"

"Yeah…"

"So you think we should go out officially?" she asked hopefully.

Cody nodded.

"Yeah," he said again.

Suddenly, the door crashed open and Sydney and Cody jumped apart.

"I am so wet," Gabi's voice rang through the house, followed by the sound of Jake's breathy chuckle.

They came to the kitchen, and Sydney turned towards them.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, her voice full of relief and anger at the same time.

"Um, on a date," Jake said, amusement flashing in his eyes.

"Sydney, it was amazing," Gabi's voice was full of happiness and her eyes were alight. "We went to this awesome mountain thing and Jake helped me cross a bunch of rocks then we dove into this gigantic waterfall and-"

"Hey, hey," Jake put his around Gabi's mouth from behind her. "You can't go giving all my secrets away, babe."

Gabi giggled and looked up at Jake with admiring, shiny eyes and Jake grinned down at her.

"That's great, I'm happy for you," Sydney said. "But you've been gone all day! And look, you just tracked water through the entire house."

"Sorry, mom," Gabi laughed, and Sydney raised her eyebrows.

"Gabi, I'm serious."

"Okay," Jake said, his lips curling into a smile. "You're right, we're bad. We'll just go upstairs to our rooms for punishment."

Jake caught Cody's eye and Cody snorted with laughter.

"Yeah, _that's _a punishment," he said.

"Fine, go," Sydney turned away from them, trying hard not to smile. "Have fun but," she turned to Jake with admonishing eyes. "Not _too_ much fun."

"I am making absolutely no promises," Jake said, as Gabi ran up the stairs. He followed her with his eyes, and a slow smirk spread across his lips.

"Doesn't she look, like so much better in wet shorts as opposed to dry ones?"

Cody shook his head with a laugh.

"You're forgetting I look at this girl like I look at you, Jake. I don't even think of things like that."

"Oh," Jake shrugged. "Well you should. It's a lot of fun."

"Upstairs," Sydney pointed towards the stairs, and Jake shrugged again.

"Gladly. Goodnight, guys, see you in the morning."

Jake walked upstairs, and Cody turned to Sydney.

"Do you think they're right for each other?" Sydney asked, going back to the pizza dough.

"Yeah," Cody said. "She's laid back and he's energetic and crazy. They balance each other."

Sydney nodded.

"Okay, can you help me stretch this dough?" she picked up a glob of the gooey white substance and Cody came forward to take it. He watched Sydney as he rolled the dough out over the counter.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked a little self consciously.

"You're just beautiful," Cody smiled and Sydney blushed.

"Thanks."

"And you know what else?"

"What?"

"I'm going to start calling you my girlfriend…I mean, if that's okay with you."

Sydney smiled up at him, her blue eyes shining in the kitchen lights.

"It's more than okay."

oOo

"Gabi," Jake tapped on the door to her room. "Are you dressed? Can I come in?"

"Yes, no," she answered both questions.

"I'd prefer if you changed those around to no, then yes," he said with a laugh, and then she opened the door for him.

"Get your stuff," Jake said, leaning on the doorframe. He towered over her, and she looked up at him happily.

"Why?"

"We're sleeping in my room tonight," he said simply.

She looked like she was trying to decide what to say, when Jake swooped down and lifted her off her feet.

"You don't get to say no," he said, and he carried her through the door, and into his room. He sat her on his bed, and then disappeared for a moment. He came back with her pillows and blankets, and threw them onto his bed with her.

"Jake, no," she said, biting her bottom lip. "I don't think we should do this."

"I'm not asking you to do anything you're not ready for," he said with a wink. "I just don't want to go through the whole night without you by my side."

A smile glowed on Gabi's cheeks.

"That's immensely sweet," she said. "But I'm going to sleep in my own room, okay? Cody and Sydney will think-"

Jake cut her off by pressing his lips to hers and pushing her down against the bed. His lips traced soft sweet patterns on to hers, cutting across and fleeting into the corners of her mouth. His hands traveled along her stomach and ribs as he pressed her down, loving the feeling of her underneath him. She kissed him back with the fiery intensity she wouldn't show him when speaking aloud, her inner feelings showings. She told him with her lips that she _did _in fact want to spend the night with him, that she _wanted _to do things she wasn't ready for, but she shouldn't and wouldn't and couldn't.

Jake pulled away, and once again he brought his lips down her jawline to her neck, nibbling on her tender skin. She arched her neck a little and a happy sigh escaped her lips.

"I'm not sleeping in here tonight, no matter how amazing your kisses are," Gabi said, impossibly smiling.

"That's okay," Jake continued to kiss her neck, his lips finding her earlobe and biting down. A jolt of electricity shot through her stomach, and she wanted more. Jake spoke against her, his voice tickling. Her sweet taste was still in his mouth, on his lips and tongue. He didn't ever want it to go away. "We still have hours before bedtime."

Gabi flipped over so she was on top of him and she ran her hand through his hair. His eyes twinkled and she leaned down for another kiss.

**Note: Review, review, review! And take my poll! Oh, also I'm not going to be able to update for about a week…Sorry, 143!**


	9. Drama At The Beach

Sunshine poured in through the beautiful, airy bay window shining through Jake's blonde hair and off his tan arms which were wrapped around a sleeping brunette.

Gabi stirred under Jake's crisscrossed arms which were holding her close as she snuggled into his bare chest. She sat up, his arms falling away from her, and rubbed her eyes as she glanced around at her surroundings.

"Damn you, Jake," she murmured shaking her hair out of her chocolate eyes. "Just stay a little longer" he had pleaded running his strong hands over her as she lay down beside him in his bed the night before.

But, of course, "just a little longer" had turned into a full night. She had let him pull her on top of him and kiss her lips. She had drifted off eventually, and then awoke in time to see him pull off his shirt and tuern of the lights, then find her again in his arms.

"I have to go, Jake," she muttered thickly through sleep but he only held her closer and kissed her neck.

"No you don't," he had whispered back and she was too tired to object. The next thing she knew, she was awake after a night of snuggling into Jake.

"Oh, hey babe," Jake mumbled in his deep accent sitting up. He stretched, his muscles flexing. He tried to find her, and then pulled her close and resting his chin on her head. "I dreamt of you last night."

She responded by wiggling away from him and picking up his pillow. She swiftly brought it across his face and slapped him with it. Jake took the pillow with a smirk on his lips.

"What was that for?"

"You know exactly what it was for," she clambered out of his bed and he yawned with a ruffle of his hair. "I wasn't supposed to sleep her last night, but you-"

"Charmed you into sleeping next to me," he cut her off. "I was too tempting, too amazing for you to possibly try to resist, too-"

"Immensely full of yourself," Gabi finished and his eyes sparkled. She walked to his door, trying hard not to smile.

"You know you loved it," Jake said, and she couldn't deny it without lying so she responded by saying:

"I hate you."

"Kay love you too doll," Jake called after her as she walked out the door, closing it behind her. "Get dressed and stuff, we're going to the beach today!"

"We are?" Cody poked his head in the door, and Jake shook his head.

"Not you, dummy, me and Gabi."

"No, Syd and I are going to join," Cody decided. "What time are we leaving?"

"Again, _Gabi and I _are leaving in like twenty minutes, but you aren't coming."

"So twenty minutes?" Cody asked brightly. "Okay, I'll go get Sydney ready."

Jake shook his head as Cody left, and got out of bed. Cody walked down the hall to Sydney's room and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in," Sydney called, cheerful as ever. Cody walked inside, and closed the door behind him his voice low and anxious.

"News update," he whispered quickly. "Gab and Jake slept together."

Sydney's jaw fell.

"What?" she whisper shouted.

"I don't know if it was like _that,_" Cody said, worry creasing his features. "But I walked past Jake's room just as Gabi walked out, and then invited myself to go to the beach with them today so I can keep an eye on Jake with her."

"Gabi would never do something like that," Sydney said, her face shining anxiety. "I'm positive, Cody. She's not like that."

"Well Jake is," Cody said, frowning a little. "Either way, we're going to the beach with them so get dressed okay baby?"

"Okay," she nodded, running a hand through her pretty blonde locks. She allowed herself a giggle. "Are we going to be like the overprotective parental chaperones today?"

"Yep, exactly," Cody said with a grin.

"Cool."

Cody walked out the door with a quick last glance at Sydney as a thought struck his head. She was his girlfriend now…He had a girlfriend.

Cody grinned happily, and walked past Jake's room once more.

"Do you have my black trunks?" Cody called through the door.

"Gross, I wouldn't wear that it's not designer," Jake called back, and Cody rolled his eyes.

"Besides," Jake continued. "It's not like you're going to need them."

"Okay, we'll all be ready for the beach soon," Cody was oblivious to Jake's remarks as he walked into his room to get dressed. As soon as Cody's door was closed, Jake's opened quietly and he tiptoed across the hall to Gabi's door. Without knocking, he pushed it open.

"Jake," Gabi whirled around, holding her bathing suit top up. "I'm changing."

"Come here, quick," Jake turned her around and tied her straps up for her as she pulled on a pair of jean shorts over her bathing suit bottom.

"Okay," Jake pushed her towards her closet gently. "Grab flip flops and then meet me outside. We'll go to that little café on the way to the beach for breakfast."

"What's the rush?" she asked, doing as he told her.

"Cody wants to come with us, and I don't want him to," Jake said rushing out the door. Gabi smirked as she tied her hair into a quick up do and put on a little makeup. Despite how she acted, she loved every part of Jake, even his pushy arrogance. There was just something sexy about how he always knew what he wanted, and even more so the way he always got it.

She finished, and walked out the door. As she made her way past Cody's room, his door popped open and he appeared. He plucked Gabi into his room, then gently closed the door.

"So guess what?" he asked naturally.

"What?" she asked, mildly interested as though he did this every day.

"Sydney's my girlfriend…"

"Oh my god, that's amazing!" Gabi beamed up at hher best friend. "How cool is that? Seriously, Cody, I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah," Cody said back, just as smilingly. "So I shared a secret, now you have to."

"Okay," she said, a little confused. "Um, let me think…"

"Did you sleep with Jake last night?" Cody asked plainly, and Gabi raised her eyebrows.

"I slept beside Jake last night," she said, and Cody's face relaxed.

"Oh, that's it?"

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Cody, you didn't think I…"

"No, of course not," he lied. "Just checking. So are you headed to the beach?"

"Yeah, coming?"

"Despite Jake's wishes, yes," Cody said, and Gabi laughed. They walked out the door, and Cody went into Sydney's room to get her, then they walked downstairs.

"Man," Jake sighed as he saw Gabi, Sydney, and Cody. "Cody, I told you you're not coming-"

"Yes he is," Gabi cut Jake off and walked forward to take his hand.

Jake raised his eyebrows, but made no further objections as they walked down the dront steps and into the sunshine as Cody and Sydney followed them.

"So which way, Jake?" Gabi played with his fingers, but he just stared down at her without talking. She looked up, her head cocked to the side.

"You're not talking to me?" she said, pouting a little. He shook his head stubbornly, and she reached up to wrap her arms around her neck.

"Um," Cody objected, lifting his finger into the air. Gabi glared daggers at him.

"Come on, Cody, we'll go on ahead," Sydney said, smiling knowingly at Gabi who gave her a grateful look.

"Okay, what's the deal?" Gabi pressed her chest against Jake's, willing him to put his arms around her waist like he usually would. Jake didn't reply, and Gabi sighed.

"You're mad because I let Sydney and Cody come?"

Jake nodded, still not speaking and looked away from Gabi's eyes which were trying to melt his.

"Come on," she reached up and tucked a strand of his hair out of his eyes with a little smile. "Don't be grumpy…"

"I'm not grumpy," he sighed at last. "But you totally just took what I said and vetoed it like it meant nothing and I didn't like that, Gabi."

"Uh-oh, I'm in trouble," Gabi grinned at Jake, who didn't meet her eyes. She sighed, and pushed him down on one of the benches, sitting on his lap and facing him.

"What?" Jake asked as she looked up at him, her big brown eyes pleading.

"Let it go, for me?" she asked in a syrupy voice. "Please, Jakey?"

"No," he shook his head, even though he really wanted to give into her and hold her close. "No, I'm not going to-"

Gabi cut him off by pressing her lips against his for a second, then pulling away to check his face. They were both silent for a moment, him trying to remain stony under her pleading stare.

Finally, he sighed and put arms around her, then kissed her on the cheek.

"We'll have fun anyway," she promised him and he nodded.

"Okay, but you _so _owe me."

**Note: I'm back! So that chapter was mainly Gabi and Jake because the poll I set up said that's what people wanted to read…If you didn't like this chapter then take the poll and change it! Haha, review 143!**


	10. Invited Ourselves

"There are three rules if you're going to come to the beach with us," Jake said to Cody as they walked a little behind Sydney and Gabi.

"Okay, and they are?" Cody wore a bemused smile, simply humoring his friend.

"Rule number one: When I'm doing things with Gabi, talking or swimming or kissing-most importantly, kissing- you can't interrupt."

"Fine," Cody said. "Rule number two?"

"Rule number two: You can't mention any of my ex-girlfriends in front of her."

Cody grinned.

"No even Giorgia?"

"_Especially _not Giorga. And rule number three is-"

"No way, he did?" A shout of laughter as Gabi and Sydney spread the beach blanket from Sydney's bag on the sand and fell on top of it side by side.

"Yeah, I swear," Gabi's cheeks were pink and her eyes were bright as they laughed together.

"That's too funny."

Sydney dug around in her bag for a moment and fished out a magazine which she opened up and lay on the blanket in front of them.

"Ooh, Harry Styles looks super hot there," Gabi pointed with a pearly tipped fingernail at the magazine page and Jake made a funny noise as he walked towards the girls with Cody right behind him.

"What did you just say?" Jake collapsed on the blanket beside Gabi with a disapproving scowl.

"Harry Styles is super hot," Gabi repeated, absently flipping a page. "Isn't he, Syd?"

"I've got a boyfriend, I'm not allowed to say," Sydney giggled to Cody, who stroked a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"That's right," Cody grinned. He took Sydney by the wrists and lifted her to her feet. "Wanna come swimming, girlfriend?"

"You betcha, boyfriend."

"Yuck," Gabi said pleasantly, flipping another page. Cody and Sydney walked towards the roaring waves, their hands interlocked.

Jake was lying on his stomach beside Gabi, his hands under his chin as he watched her while still frowning. Gabi scanned the magazine behind her sunglasses.

"That Harry guy isn't half as good as me," Jake said suddenly. Gabi tilted up her glasses to see if he was kidding, and then smirked.

"Jake Lawson Th*upp, are you _jealous_?" she asked incredulously.

"What? No, not at all!" he said as though he had never heard something so craxy.

"You sure?" she asked, looking a little disappointed.

"Why would I, of all people, get jealous?" Jake asked. "I mean, have you seen me?"

Jake stood up, a cocky smile set upon his perfect lips. Gabi rolled his eyes as he took his shirt off, purposely flexing his toned tan muscles.

"I'm going swimming," Jake said turning abruptly. Gabi watched as he walked away from her without looking back. She was surprised he didn't ask her to come.

Jake waded in past Sydney and Cody, who were playing around in the ocean.

"Cody the water is so cold!" Sydney squealed as Cody lifted her clean off her feet and threw her right into the crashing waves.

"Hahaha," he laughed splashing into the water also.

"Wow, Sydney," Jake said loudly. "You look totally hot, that bathing suit fits you great."

Cody froze, Sydney's jaw dropped, and Gabi's hands curled into fists.

"Excuse me?" Sydney looked confused, and very upset.

Jake shot a grin at Gabi who was staring on with shock etched into her pretty face.

"Sydney you are the most beautiful girl on this whole beach."

"Um," Sydney looked uncomfortable, and Cody pulled her close to him. He gently nudged her behind him, clearly trying to keep her far from Jake.

"Jake, shut up," Cody said. His face flashed anger for the first time all trip. "I know exactly what you're doing."

"Oh yeah?" Jake said, challenging him. "Okay, what am I doing?"

"You're using my girl to make Gabi jealous, and that's not okay. You're mad because Gab said another guy was hot, so you're being immature and trying to get back at her." Cody's face softened. "I know you too well, mate."

"You're tripping," Jake shook his head and walked back to shore. "I'm outta here."

He put his shirt back on with a side glance at Gabi whose brown eyes were wide and glassy with sadness.

"I'll, uh, see you later," Jake muttered to her and started to walk away.

"Jake, wait," Gabi called after him, her voice pleading. "Don't leave."

But he kept walking, leaving Gabi to sigh and fall back against the beach blanket with her eyes squeezed shut.

"Cody, put me down," Sydney giggled, back out in the ocean as Cody swung her around some more.

"Whee," Cody released her into the water. He watched her collide with the waves, her hair swinging and the sun shining off her. He mumbled to her, even though he knew she wouldn't hear. "Man you're beautiful."

Cody's eyes drifted from Sydney along to shore where Gabi was still lying motionless on the blanket.

"Um, Syd?"

"Yeah?" she resurfaced, wringing out her hair. Cody pointed ashore and Sydney made a sympathetic humming noise.

"Let's go talk to her."

They both walked out of the ocean and back to the blanket, next to Gabi.

"You okay, hon?" Sydney asked sensitively falling beside Gabi on the blanket. She put her arms around her best friend, who sat up and took off her sunglasses.

"Yeah, I think so," Gabi sighed.

"It's okay," Cody promised sitting down and hugging her also. They both squeezed her tight, and Gabi allowed a small smile.

"I don't know why I love him so much," she said sort of angrily. "He's a jerk."

"Well, not all the time," Cody defended his friend half-heartedly.

"I know," she nodded. "He can be really sweet and endearing when he's not upset. It's my fault for calling Harry hot, I guess I shouldn't have tested him like that."

"Jake's not as confident as he seems," Cody said, giving Gabi's knee a little shake. "And he really likes you, so I think he was threatened and tried to turn it around."

Gabi broke free from her friends' hugs and stood up with a sad sigh.

"I'm going back to the house."

"Wait, Gab," Sydney grabbed her wrist so she wouldn't walk away. "Don't be mad at Jake, I mean that was an awful thing to do but it was only because he was jealous, you know? It actually shows how much he cares about you…Most guys would just laugh it off if their girlfriend-or whatever it is you are to Jake-called a celebrity hot. But Jake wants you to be with him and only him because he loves you so much, okay?"

"Maybe you're right," Gabi looked like she was feeling a little better.

"I always am," Sydney winked jokingly at Gabi, and she smiled appreciatively. "Now go find Jake and kiss and makeup."

Gabi grabbed her bag and started to walk back to the house.

"That was pretty mean of Jake," Cody collected Sydney in his arms.

"I know," she looked up into his aqua hazel eyes.

"He was right about one thing, though."

"What's that?" Sydney tipped her head back in his arms and let the rays of sunlight tickle her face.

"You really are the most beautiful girl on the beach."

oOo

"Jake," Gabi called, walking into the house with her arms crossed around her stomach. "Jake! …Oh, there you are."

Jake was lying on the couch, eyes closed and breathing steadily. Despite this, he clearly wasn't asleep. His eyelids twitched and Gabi felt herself smile a little at his feeble attempt.

She kicked off her flip flops and walked to the couch. She sank down beside Jake and lay down next to him, her body overlapping his a little. Her head was on his chest, and she felt his hand twitch another sure sign he was only feigning sleep. She snuggled deeper into him.

"I know you're awake," she whispered into his neck. He didn't move, so she took a deep breath and continued talking. "I guess I should say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you jealous-well, actually I did. But I shouldn't have, and I guess I was just testing you. You can't just call Sydney hot though, to get back at me Jakey. It hurts. A lot."

Jake opened his eyes finally and his arms found their way around her, and he leaned back a little on the cushions to settle her into him.

"I'm sorry too," he whispered in his beautiful accent. "I did try to hurt you, though."

"I know that," she closed her eyes, her voice breaking a little and Jake snuggled her even closer, laying a million tiny kisses on her face.

"I'm sorry, I promise," he said. "I wasn't thinking, Gabi, I-"

"Shh," she reached up and pressed her finger to his lips so he couldn't apologize anymore. "It's okay."

"Let me make it up to you?"

"How?"

"Meet me down here at eight o' clock tonight. I have a surprise for you."

**Note: Didja like this chapter? Review, 143! **


	11. What Is He Waiting For?

**Note: Hey guys, before you read wanna do me a favor and take my poll? This story gets a lot more hits a chapter than it does reviews so I know there are people reading! The question on it is about which you parts you prefer reading more: Gabi and Jake or Sydney and Cody! Right now the result is Gabi and Jake, so that's what I'm writing the majority of. The poll would help me make the story more entertaining judging on what people want to see, so please take it! Thanks, 143!**

"So then he told me to meet him outside at the beach at eight o' clock," Gabi recounted the day's events to Sydney. Both girls were in Sydney's room lying on their stomachs across her queen sized bed. "He said he has a surprise."

"That's so romantic," Sydney said dreamily, her head resting on her arms. "You're so lucky, Gab."

"Me?" she asked with a giggle. "What about you? Cody adores you!"

"Yeah," Sydney agreed tucking a strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear. "But we haven't kissed, like at all. It's so slow with him, you know? One step at a time."

"But you're his girlfriend, right? That's pretty serious…"

"But Jake's already told you he loves you and you two have kissed."

"Because Jake's a weirdo," Gabi laughed. "He told me he loved me the day we met, of course he's not serious."

"I've seen the way he looks at you," Sydney studied Gabi with her pretty blue eyes. "He's serious."

Gabi shrugged and stood up off the bed. Sydney followed suit, with a stretch.

"So what do you and Cody have planned for tonight?"

"Nothing," Sydney shrugged. "Probably just the same old stuff, sitting there and talking to each other. He'll call me pretty, I'll say thanks, it'll be the perfect moment and then…we won't kiss."

"Aw, don't be sad," Gabi walked to Sydney's closet and started leafing through it. "He'll kiss you sometime…he just needs, um, a little nudge. Can I borrow this for tonight?"

Gabi held up a short green dress with spaghetti straps.

"Sure. And what do you mean a little nudge?"

"Well, a sign that you're ready to kiss him," Gabi said nonchalantly, gripping the dress in her pink painted nails. "Whether it's a look in your eyes, or a text of some sort, or a…a talk from a mutual best friend."

Gabi shot Sydney a knowing look, and Sydney shook her head violently.

"Gabi, don't you dare go tell Cody I want to-"

"Sorry, I can't hear you over the noise of me being an awesome friend, gotta go, love ya, bye!" Gabi said as she ran out of Sydney's room, not letting her get a word in edgewise. She walked to Cody's room next door and knocked.

"Come in," he called. She pushed the door open and found Cody sitting on his bed, guitar in hand.

"Oh, hey love," he greeted Gabi. "How's it going?"

"Good," she sat beside him on his bed.

"Pretty dress," he reached out and touched the fabric of the green dress Gabi was still holding.

"It's Sydney's," she said, and Cody nodded.

"I thought it looked familiar."

"Speaking of Sydney," Gabi cleared her throat. "How's it going between you two? Are you happy?"

"Never been happier," he said smiling as he rested the guitar up against the wall. "She's amazing, I like her a lot."

"Really? Enough to kiss her?"

"Yes, of course," Cody gave her a confused look. "Why?"

"You haven't kissed her, though," Gabi ignored his question. "Why?"

"Well, I dunno. There just hasn't been the right moment, I guess…Why? Has she talked to you about it? What'd she say?"

"Can't tell, girl talk is private," Gabi said with a smirk. "But I'll tell you what. If you kiss her soon, you won't regret it."

oOo

Jake paced the beach nervously, waiting for Gabi to arrive.

"Okay," he took a deep breath, trying to put on his famous show of over the top confidence. What did he have to be nervous for? He was hot, and any girl would be lucky to have him…

But something was different with Gabi. She wasn't just another trendy video girl he wanted to have around because she was popular. He had real feelings for her, he connected to her in a way he hadn't a single other girl in his life. She was special, and she was different and she was-heading towards him right now.

"Okay," Jake mumbled under his breath. "I can do this."

"Don't you look picturesque?" she greeted him with a flirty smile as she walked up the beach. A light breeze in the setting sun pulled her floaty dress back as she walked and whipped her long, golden brown locks around.

"I like to think so," he murmured as she found her way into his arms. He hugged her tight and gave her a quick little kiss on her lips.

"You look beautiful," Jake pulled away a little to check her out. His eyes lingered on her curves, and she waved her hand.

"My eyes are up here," she teased, and Jake closed his own.

"Uh, I was…" he started, but she giggled and pushed herself back into his arms.

"I was kidding," she assured him. "I don't mind."

"So are you ready for your surprise?" Jake asked the color fading from his cheeks, and she pulled away.

"Yeah, totally," she looked out at the waves. "What is it?"

"Here," Jake reached into the pocket of his blazer and pulled out a tiny black velvet box, not unlike the ones wedding rings came in.

"Jake," Gabi said, her mouth going dry. "This isn't…I mean, not even you would-"

"No, I'm not proposing to you," Jake assured her with a chuckle.

"Good," Gabi looked immensely relieved. She took the box from his shaking fingers, and she gave him a funny look.

"Jake," she said slowly, scanning his handsome face with her brown eyes. "Are you nervous?"

"What would make you ask that?" Jake evaded her question and brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. She caught his hand in midair and examined it.

"I thought so," she giggled. "You're shaking, why?"

"I guess I am a little nervous," he admitted.

"Why?"

"Open it, you'll understand."

He gestured to the box, and Gabi unclipped the latch on the box. Her eyes widened at the sight of what was inside, shining gold against the velvet.

"Jake," she breathed, looking up at the boy who was so much taller than her.

A promise ring.

**Note: Okay, that was pretty corny, I'll be the first to admit. In truth, I had no plans for Jake's "surprise" so that was kind of a last minute thing. I hope you enjoyed it anyway and will review! And take the poll! 143!**


	12. Promises And Kisses

"Do you know what they mean?" Jake took the box containing the promise ring from her hands, his eyes never leaving her face. Here at the beach in the shallow wisps of moonlight, she was beautiful. Painfully beautiful.

"I think so," Gabi said, brushing a milky moonlighted strand of hair out of her eyes. "But I'd love to hear you tell me."

"Sit down?" Jake offered, falling to his knees and patting the sand. She sank down too, and Jake gently pushed her onto her back so she was lying down. He lay too, and they faced each other with their cheeks pressed to the soft, grainy sand.

"I'm so nervous," Jake admitted and he let the box fall out of his hands.

"That's so unlike you," Gabi said with a soft laugh. "Why?"

"I've never, ever made a commitment like this before, sweetie. It's so hard, but so easy at the same time. Does that make sense?"

She nodded.

"Of course, I get it. That's how I feel about all of this. It's hard for me to let myself fall for you, because I know you've used these lines on a billion other girls but it's so easy at the same time."

Jake allowed himself a smile and pulled her wrists so she rolled on top of him.

"Can I tell you a secret?" he asked in the soft, sweet voice he used only with her.

"Yes."

"I've never used any of my lines on you, honest."

She raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"I promise," he whispered. "You trust me, right?"

Gabi nodded.

"Well then, you should believe me when I tell you that every word I've ever said to you, every kiss I've ever given you, every moment we've ever had…It's all real, it's all me. I guess what I'm trying to say is…I…"

"Shh," Gabi brushed a kiss on his lips to quiet his stammering. He clearly _was_ nervous. "I get it , Jakey."

"Then tell me something," he whispered, holding her to stabilize her as she squirmed a little bit, trying to make herself comfortable on top of him. "That day when we were kissing, and you told me you loved me back. Did you mean that?"

She was silent for a moment, and Jake wilted.

"I know it's crazy," she said at last, and he peered up at her with his sapphire eyes under his light lashes. "But yes, I did mean that. I did and I do. We've only known each other for a little while, but I am in love with you."

She slowly bowed her head a little and gave him another kiss, this time more slowly, on his perfect lips.

"I'm so in love I can't think," she whispered, pulling away. He left his eyes closed and his lips ready for another kiss, and she complied. "So in love I can't breathe. So in love I can't talk right. So in love I can't even sleep without dreaming about you," she said in between long, deep kisses.

"That's how I know," Jake replied as she turned out of the kiss. "How I know this is right. Here."

Jake sat up and sat the brown eyed girl on his lap, then reached for the box. He undid the catch and slipped the beautiful golden ring onto her finger.

"Are you going to tell me exactly what this means yet?" Gabi reached up and tangled her fingers in Jake's hair, simply because she could.

"Of course," he whispered. "Okay, this ring means I promise to not even think about any other girl as long as I'm with you. It means I'm promising to love you."

Gabi blushed a little with a smile as she looked down at the sand. Jake tipped her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his eyes.

"I'm promising that I'll tell you everything. I'm promising that I'll give you the world. I'm promising you that you'll never be lonely again, as long as I'm with you and as long as this ring is on your hand."

Gabi didn't reply, she just locked her arms around Jake's neck and crushed his lips with hers. He pulled her back down to lie with him on the sand, their lips never breaking. After a few moments, Jake pulled away.

"Will you promise me?" he whispered, his breath tickling lips.

"Yes," Gabi whispered back glancing down at the beautiful, golden ring that fit her hand so perfectly. "Thank you so much for this, Jake. I love it, I love you, I'm so happy right now."  
Her face was shining and Jake reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm so glad."

oOo

Cody paced outside Sydney's door. His palms were sweaty, and he was biting his bottom lip so hard he tasted blood. Cody closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, building up courage. He could do this.

He took a deep breath.

And then another.

And then another.

Then, he knocked on her door. After a moment's pause, where Cody debated running the opposite way, the door opened and Sydney's beautiful face appeared.

"Cody, it's almost two in the morning," she said with a giggle.

"I know," he swallowed. "I was waiting up for Gabi and Jake."

"You mean they're not home yet?" she asked confusedly, and Cody shook his head.

"It's fine though, they're probably just out having fun…Sydney, can I come in?"

She nodded and stepped back from the door. Cody's eyes followed her long, tan legs as she climbed back onto her bed and then pat the airy feather comforter, inviting Cody to come also.

He complied, and she watched him. He was a little paler than usual and seemed kind of nervous.

"What's up?" she asked.

"H-huh?"

Sydney laughed.

"Well, you're waking me up at two in the morning. I figured you needed something."

Cody was silent, and Sydney's smile faded.

"Or maybe something was bothering you?" she pressed. "Cody, what's wrong? Are you ok-"

She was cut off as Cody leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers hesitantly. Sydney jumped at first, startled, but then she sank into the kiss. Her blue eyes closed and she linked her arms around Cody's neck, and he stroked her hair.

The kiss was perfect, and Sydney found butterflies in her stomach that she'd never even imagined could come from Cody. It was like something from a book or a movie, and it was amazing.

"I am so sorry," Cody pulled away.

"What for?" she asked, a little dizzy from the kiss.

"I shouldn't have kissed you."

"I promise you, I don't mind," Sydney's smile returned, and Cody looked up. He smiled and then Sydney laughed at the amazed expression on his face.

"You don't?"

"No, not at all," she laughed.

"So can I…kiss you again?"

**Note: I hope you liked it! Last chapter got a good amount of reviewers, because usually this story only gets like two a chapter. So thank you a million times to Anonymous (my frequent and one of my favorite reviewers), Asia, WritingVitality, and ILOVEALLSTORIES! Review, 143! **


	13. Waves

The next morning when Cody woke up, he was happy to see Sydney fast asleep beside him. Right, he recalled as a grin slowly spread over his mouth. The night before they had kissed and kissed and kissed some more until she'd fallen asleep and he'd lay awake, just listening to her steady breathing and feeling like the luckiest guy alive.

He stretched and looked at the clock. Only six thirty, perfect for an early morning surf. He got out of Sydney's bed and walked to his own room, where he changed into swimming trunks in the half light then walked over to Jake's room and knocked on the door. When nobody answered, Cody opened the door anyway.

Jake's room was empty, and Cody frowned. He and Gabi had come home last night, hadn't they? He walked out of Jake's room and into Gabi's, expecting emptiness.

But, Gabi and Jake were both asleep on her bed him with his arms around her and her head on his chest.

"Jake," Cody muttered, walking over to his best friend. He nudged him, and Jake started. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times as Cody came into focus.  
"Oh, hey," he yawned. "What's up?"

"Feel like going for a surf?" Cody asked hopefully.

"I suppose," Jake yawned. He leaned over and kissed Gabi's forehead before getting up and stretching.

"Jake?" Gabi stirred and reached out for him with her eyes barely open. He took her outstretched hand.

"Jake," Cody's eyes widened at the sight of the golden ring on Gabi's ring finger.

"Not what you think," Jake muttered to him, giving him the "I'll explain later" look. He knelt down next to Gabi, beside the bed and reached up with the hand that wasn't holding hers to brush a strand of hair away from her face.

"I'm going to go surfing with Cody, okay princess?" he asked in a low voice.

"Mhm," she nodded, snuggling deeper into the blankets.

"Maybe you and Syd can come out and meet us a little later on?"

"Okay," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Love you."

Jake kissed her forehead again and stood up.

"Love you too."

He and Cody walked out of the room, and Jake was careful to close the door for her. They stopped in Jake's room for Jake to change into a pair of swimming trunks and then started towards the beach.

"So explain the ring."

Jake laughed.

"It's a promise ring," he shrugged. "I bought it for her."

"That's actually really sweet of you, Jake," Cody sounded surprised. They walked to the little shed where they were keeping the boards. Jake pulled Cody's board out and handed it to him. Then he got his own and they started to wax them.

"She's not just another girl," Jake said as he waxed. "She's special…But you know all about that, right Codes? I went into your room last night before Gabi and I went to bed and there was a distinct lack of Cody. Spend the night with Syd?"

"I finally kissed her," Cody grinned. "It was amazing, literally the best kiss I've ever had. And the way she was smiling afterwards, I don't think I've ever seen her happier."

"You've known that girl for years," Jake straightened up. "Are you saying that was the first time you kissed her? Ever?"

"Well, yeah," Cody looked confused. "We just started dating, Jake."

"I know, but what about like dares? Or acting to scare off an ex-girlfriend? Or spin the bottle?"

Cody shook his head to each one.

"Last night was the first time?" Jake asked. "For real?"

"Yeah, I'm telling you we weren't even close tom romantic before this trip," Cody said with a laugh. "It's crazy."

They walked to the crashing surf and waded in.

"This is just like it used to be before you got all famous," Jake said as they swam out past the crashing waves. "Do you remember? Every single morning, you and I would go out before school on the Gold Coast and catch waves? We'd talk about everything that was going on, about girls and stuff?"

"I remember," Cody grinned. "How fun was that?"

"Do you miss it?" Jake blurted out, and Cody gave him a confused look as they waited for the perfect wave. "Australia, I mean?"

"Of course," Cody said. "But I visit often enough."

"Yeah, but when you do it's all meet and greets and concerts and stuff. Don't you miss just being normal?"

"I'll try not to take that offensively," Cody chuckled. He gestured out at the surf. "Check this wave, Jake."

They both stood up on their boards and caught it. They spent a good part of the morning surfing on the huge waves, until Gabi and Sydney appeared on the shore dressed in bathing suits.

"Come in before you get all pruny and gross," Sydney called out to them, and they both laughed as they rode two separate waves onto shore. Jake landed smoothly, but Cody stumbled.

"Haha," Jake pointed and laughed at him.

"Hey, I'm just a little out of practice," Cody defended himself as Sydney handed him a beach towel and he dried himself off.

"Maybe someone should spend less time singing and more time surfing, aye mate?" Jake chuckled walking over to Gabi and wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Jakey, you're all wet," Gabi wiggled away from him.

"I saw you out there," Sydney admired Cody. "Awesome, awesome job."

"See what she does?" Jake teased Gabi, poking her in the side as she and Cody kissed. "She gives him a towel, tells him he did an awesome job on the waves, and then gives him a kiss."

"Yeah, yeah," Gabi fell down onto the sand, huge sunglasses masking her eyes. "Sydney's a perfect girlfriend."

"It's true," Cody agreed, wrapping his arms around her and sitting too.

"But she didn't bring you breakfast," Gabi continued. "Did she?"

She took a picnic basket both boys failed to notice from the beach blanket and handed it to Jake.

"And that's why I love you," Jake sat down beside her and opened the basket. He grabbed the box of cereal, the bowls, and the carton of milk and poured himself a bowl of cereal then handed it to Cody.

"You girls are amazing," Cody poured himself a bowl of cereal.

"We know," Sydney laughed. She sat down on Cody's lap and he held her with one arm and ate his cereal with the other.

"I'm going to go play in the water," Gabi got up and walked across the sand.

"Wait," Jake called after her. "The waves close to shore are really huge, Boo. I almost fell like, six times."

"So I'll go further out," Gabi replied, pausing but not turning around.

"There are currents, are you sure you don't want to wait?"

"No, I'm good."

Gabi continued to walk across the sand and then got to the crashing waves. She waited for a break and then made her way through the strong current.

Jake turned back to Cody and Sydney, who were now lying on the beach blanket and talking.

"No," Cody was saying. "If we had a baby it would look way cuter with your eyes."

"No, your eyes!" Sydney giggled.

"Okay, my eyes," Cody leaned forward. "But your lips."

He found her mouth with his and started to kiss her, nibbling on her bottom lip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he tangled his fingers in her hair.

"Gross," Jake sighed, and he turned away from the happy couple. He looked back out to the ocean as he finished his cereal, and noticed that Gabi was gone.

"Gabi!" Jake stood up abruptly and ran to the water's edge, looking out for her. He saw a tangle of brown hair being tossed along through the crashing waves and waded out towards her, his heart hammering madly.

He swam out, but was knocked back by the waves. He felt something collide with him, and he reached out to hang onto her.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" he panted once she was safe in his arms. Her face was very white.

"No," she shook her head. She held up her empty hand.

"Oh no," Jake's eyes widened.

Her ring was gone.

**Note: Uh-oh! Review, and take my poll if you want to find out if Gabi ever gets her ring back! Mwahahahaha! Ahem. Evil laughter doesn't suit me. :) Review, 143!**


	14. Relationships and Recoveries

"My ring is gone!"

"Shit," Jake swore under his breath and dove under the water. He resurfaced a second later, panic etched onto his face. He dove back under again, and Gabi did too. The second she got under the water, another wave swept under her and she felt herself tumbling all over again.

"Hey," Cody appeared behind her as she resurfaced with saltwater and tears rolling down her face. "What's the matter?"

"My ring," she sobbed. "The ring Jake bought me, it's g-gone. I lost it because I came swimming even though Jake told me not to."

"Go on shore," Cody said gently. "It'll be alright, Gabi, I promise."

She obliged and walked back onto shore where Sydney was waiting with open arms.

"It's okay," she said soothingly as she hugged Gabi. "It's okay."

Back out in the tumbling waves, Cody and Jake were diving under the breaking shore in hopeless search of the ring.

"Give it up, mate," Cody said to Jake after about twenty minutes of doing this. "It's no good, she lost it."

"I told her not to come swimming," Jake sounded angry. "I told her it wasn't safe, that something bad was going to happen!"

"I'm sorry," Cody said to him, and they walked back onto the shore together where Sydney and Gabi were sitting.

"Why didn't you listen to me?" Jake demanded of his girlfriend. "Why'd you go swimming even though I told you it wasn't a good idea?"

"I'm so sorry," Gabi said, reaching up and wiping away yet another tear. "You're right, Jake."

"Whatever," Jake shook his head and walked down the beach in the direction of the house, shaking his head.

"Jake, wait," Gabi called, struggling against Sydney's arms to stand up.

"Let him cool off," Cody advised, and because Gabi had learned her lesson of not listening for that day she sat back down on the blanket.

"This is déjà vu," Sydney commented, and Cody put an affectionate arm around his girlfriend.

"Seems like everything important between you two always happens at the beach," Sydney continued in an effort to cheer her up.

"How long do you think he'll be mad at me for?" she asked Cody, looking up at him with big brown eyes.

"He's not mad at you," Cody said, and Sydney interjected.

"Don't tell her that, he's a little mad that she didn't listen but he's not mad she lost the ring."

"Right," Cody said. "You're so smart, Syd."

"Why thank you," she said, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"And beautiful," Cody continued. "And perfect in every way."

"Not the time, Codes," Sydney said with a giggle, but she leaned across Gabi and pecked his cheek. "But thank you."

"You guys are so cute," Gabi wiped away the last of her tears with a sniff.

"Aren't we?" Cody beamed. Sydney playfully slapped his stomach.

"She doesn't want to tuck about us, Cody, she wants to talk about-hey, Gab what's that?"

"Huh?"

Sydney pointed at Gabi's bathing suit top to a bulge in the side of the bra part.

"Probably just rocks," Gabi shook her bathing suit a little. "When I was in the water I got sand everywhere, seriously-Oh my God!"

"Oh my God!" Sydney repeated.

"Oh my God!" Cody mimicked, flapping his hands up and down like a girl trying to get her nail polish to dry. Sydney and Gabi looked at him for a moment, but then back at each other.

"I can't believe it!" Gabi laughed, reaching down into the sand to pick up what had fallen from her bathing suit.

"It got stuck," Sydney said. "How lucky is that?"

"Go show Jake so Sydney and I can kiss in private," Cody said, nudging her playfully. Gabi rolled her eyes, but started running down the beach with the golden ring clamped tightly between her hands.

"How lucky is that?" Sydney repeated, turning to Cody. "She got her ring back."

"She sure did," Cody wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips against her temple. "How about a victory kiss for the girl who found the ring?"

Sydney blushed a little and giggled.

"It wasn't hard, it was right there."

"Mhm," Cody mumbled against her soft skin as he ran his lips down her jaw line, sending jolts of electricity into Sydney's toes and fingertips. "But we can still kiss, right?"

Sydney laughed and linked her arms around Cody's neck.

"Right."

oOo

"Jake, stop," Gabi caught up to him almost at the house. The deserted sand dunes blew around in the soft breeze as sunlight poured down on them.

He continued to walk, not even looking at her.

"Please," she took his hand.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, turning to her with sad eyes.

"I want you to say, "Gabi I'm not mad at you. I love you.""

"I'm not mad at you and I love you," he repeated.

"Really?" she asked, trying to figure him out by looking into his eyes.

"Really," he repeated. "I'm very disappointed, though. But I'm not mad at you, I know it was an accident, and of course I still love you. Just because the ring's gone doesn't mean the promises are."

"That's what I came to tell you, though," she said excitedly. With the hand that wasn't interlocked with Jake's she held up the golden circle. "Look, I found it! Well, no, Sydney found it but the point is-"

She was cut off by Jake's lips pressed against hers as he found her in his arms. They kissed for a moment, before he pulled away.

"Sydney found it," he repeated.

"Sydney found it," Gabi assured him. She handed him the ring, and he took her hand once more. He slipped it on her finger, and then looked at it.

"Beautiful," he admired, bringing the ring to his lips and kissing her hand.

"Thank you, Jake," she giggled, looking at the ring herself.

"I'm sorry for getting upset," he said.

"I'm sorry for not listening to you."

"I love you," he said again.

"I love you too."

**Note: The ring's back! Didja guys like it? Review, take my poll! 143!**


	15. Boys Suck

"We've been at the beach all day, maybe we should go back to the house?" Sydney suggested. She and Cody had been lying in the early afternoon sun side by side, talking and kissing and flirting all morning.

"Yeah, I think I've had enough sun for a bit," Cody said with a laugh as he sat up and stretched. Sydney got up too, and they collected their stuff before making their way down the beach with their fingers interlocked.

"You think Jake and Gabi made up?" Cody wondered.

"Yeah, probably," Sydney shrugged. They walked in silence, just enjoying each other's company as they walked up the beach. They got back to the house, and Cody held the door open for Sydney.

"Such a gentleman," she teased him, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Once inside, they were greeted by a vacant living room.

"Gabi!" Sydney called, dropping her bag on the table. "Jake!"

"Up here," Jake's voice called. "We're busy."

Sydney looked at Cody, who chuckled.

"Doing what?" she called with a smile.

"You really wanna know?" Jake yelled down, and they heard Gabi laugh.

"Come to think of it, not really," Sydney shouted with a laugh. "But I was thinking we could go shopping."

"Sounds good," Gabi replied.

Sydney turned to Cody expectantly.

"What?" he asked. "Me too?"

"Yes," she said with a laugh. "We can stop to look at boy shoes…"

"Tempting," Cody said, as though thinking hard.

"And then go get dinner wherever you want afterwards?"

"Sold," Cody said. "I'll go get dressed."

"Cool," Sydney grinned and walked upstairs to her room. She changed from her bathing suit into a light blue tube top. She paired it with a pair of jean shorts and summer wedges and then grabbed her straightening iron. She walked towards the bathroom, and found Gabi already in it curling her light brown locks.

"Can I squeeze in?" Sydney asked, and Gabi nodded as she pushed over. Sydney set to work on straightening her blonde hair.

"I got Cody to come to the mall with us," Sydney said as Gabi waved a mascara wand over her lashes.

"What can't you do, Syd?" she asked with a laugh. "That's amazing."

"Do you think you can get Jake to join us too?"  
"I dunno," Gabi reached over and fixed the strap on Sydney's shirt. "That might be hard."

"I got Cody by promising him we'd look at shoes for him and that he could choose where we went to dinner. Does that help at all?"

"I'll give it a try," Gabi glossed her lips and then smacked them together.

"Good luck," Sydney said as Gabi pushed the bathroom door open and walked towards Jake's room.

"Are you dressed?" Gabi tapped on his door.

"Yes," he called back and she pushed the door open. "Does that disappoint you?"

"Shut up," Gabi sat down on the edge of his bed and watched as he finished the buttons on his shirt. "So will you do me a favor?"

"Depends what it is," Jake said, turning to the mirror and running a comb through his blonde locks.

"Will you come to the mall with us?"

Jake caught her eye in the mirror and gave her his "are you serious?" look.

"Please, Jake," she got up off his bed and walked behind him as he looked in the mirror. She put her arms around him and pouted into the mirror.

"I don't want to though," he said turning around and capturing her in his arms instead. "I'm tired."

"Okay, fine," Gabi broke away from him. "You can stay here and take a nap and I'll go to the mall with Sydney and Cody, who will probably couple up and leave me all by myself so then I'll go walk off alone and maybe meet some nice guys and then go shopping with them instead!"

"I know you won't do that," Jake said with a laugh. "So if you're trying to make me jealous it's not working."

"I'm not trying to make you jealous," Gabi walked to the door. "Hey Sydney, can I borrow those really, really short shorts with the kiss it sign on the butt that you bought as a joke? I'm going to need them if I want to make any friends at the mall tonight."

"Fine, I'll go," Jake said hastily, and Gabi laughed then shut the door again.

"Hey Jake, guess what?"

"What?"

"There is no shorts."

Jake sighed.

"I should've known."

oOo

"Oooh, here," Gabi squealed and pulled Sydney into Claire's as Cody and Jake paused.

"Come on," Sydney pulled Cody inside and Gabi looked at Jake who was planted firmly, all six feet of him, on the floor outside the store.

"Will you please come in with us?"

"But Gabi," he whined. "What if somebody sees me?"

"Then they'll know what an amazing boyfriend you are," he let Gabi take his hand and pull him into Claire's, but he was still looking pouty.

"Cody doesn't have a problem with it," Sydney said to Jake, who rolled his eyes.

"That's because he's Cody," Jake nodded at him. He was looking through the Cody Simpson merchandise, laughing at it.

"Look, girls, I'm socks!" Cody held up a pair of socks with his face on it and they all laughed except for Jake.

"Sydney, if I buy this for you will you wear it?" Cody held up a t shirt that said "I heart Cody Simpson" on it in huge letters.

"Absolutely," Sydney said with a laugh. "Come help me try it on."

They walked over to the dressing rooms as Gabi pulled Jake over to the nail polish.

"Which color?" she held up two shades of pink.

"Does it matter?" he sighed.

"Okay," Gabi put the nail polish back on the shelves. "That's it, Jake. You have thirty seconds to start having fun."

"And what if I don't?" he challenged her.

"Then I'm not going to give you another kiss for the entire night," she said with a smirk, and Jake rolled his eyes.

"What if I don't care?"

"Oh, you'll care when it's bed time and your cuddling all by yourself."

Jake tried to stare her down for a moment, but then sighed.

"Fine," he said, resigning. "I'm sorry, baby, I just don't want to be here."

"Where do you want to go, then?" she asked.

"Back to the house so we can snuggle."

"It fits!" Gabi heard Sydney call and she and Jake walked to the dressing room. Sydney walked out of the curtain in the Cody Simpson shirt. It hugged her curves perfectly, and the color of the letters matched her eyes.

"You look so amazing in that," Cody's eyes rested on the shirt, and Sydney laughed.

"Okay, I'm going to go change back," she said, and she walked back into the dressing rooms.

"I'm hungry," Cody complained as Sydney changed and Gabi whispered into Jake's ear to try and get him to cheer up. "Syd, can we go get some dinner?"

"Yeah," she said. "Where do you have in mind?"

"The sushi place on the next block, is that alright?"

"Yep," Sydney said brightly, and Cody turned to Gabi and Jake.

"Is sushi okay?" Gabi repeated to Jake, who was holding her with his head buried in her shoulder.

"Yeah, whatever," he said, and she nodded to Cody.

"What's wrong with Jake?" he asked, looking kind of concerned.

"He's moping," Gabi shook her head.

"I just don't feel that good and I don't want to be here," Jake said into Gabi, her skin muffling his voice.

"Okay, I'm ready," Sydney appeared in her tube top and she handed the shirt to Cody for him to buy her.

"Come on, we're going," Gabi nudged Jake who sluggishly pulled away and walked with her, Cody, and Sydney out of the store.

"It's so cold," Jake said after they'd exited the mall and walked outside. Sydney felt the humid, sixty degree night air on her skin and gave him a funny look.

"It's not cold at all, mate," Cody said with a laugh. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not serious, right?" Gabi asked.

Jake didn't reply, just crossed his arms and shivered. Once they got to the sushi restaurant and were seated with menus, Cody put his arm around Sydney romantically. Jake lay his head on Gabi's shoulder, unromantically.

"What's wrong, baby?" Gabi asked, her forehead creasing in concern. She pulled away so he had no choice but to meet his eyes.

"I really don't feel good," Jake shook his head, and his usually bright blue eyes seemed to have lost their sheen.

"Come here," Gabi pressed her lips to his forehead, checking for a fever, then pulled away. "Damn, Jake. Sydney, feel his forehead."

Sydney leaned across the table to press her hand against the Australian boy's forehead.

"Wow," she said.

"What is it?" Cody asked.

"Jake's really hot," Gabi said, looking worried. When Jake didn't reply to it, just sunk back down to lean on his girlfriend Cody caught Sydney's eye.

"He didn't even make a remark to that," Cody said to Sydney. "He must be sick."

"How about we go home, Jakey?" Gabi brushed his hair off his forehead.

"I'd like that," he whispered, and she nodded.

"I'm going to get a cab and take him home," Gabi turned back to Cody and Sydney.

"Okay," Sydney said. "Make sure he drinks lots of water and stuff."

"I know," Gabi helped Jake to his feet and she led him out of the restaurant, leaving Cody and Sydney alone at the table.

"It's a shame he's sick," Cody watched his best friends disappear out the door. "But now it's just the two of us, so I'm not complaining."

Sydney smiled.

"That's not very nice."

"Well, pretty girls make me do crazy stuff," Cody took her hands in his and leaned forward to press his lips to hers. She responded enthusiastically, putting her arms around his neck. They kissed under the dim restaurant lights for a few seconds, before Cody pulled away.

"Um, hi," he turned around to find three girls standing with their phones out watching them kiss.

"Hi, are you Cody S*mpson?" the tallest asked. They all looked to be around Cody and Sydney's age, maybe a year younger.

"Yeah," he said.

"Oh my God," she sat down across from Cody and Sydney, and then so did the other two girls. "Hi, I am a huge fan."

"Oh, that's great," Cody said brightly. He nodded to the girl sitting beside the loud one, who had long dark hair braided down her back. Her lips were full, and her lovely eyes the color of celery. She was clearly the prettiest of them. "Cool shoes."

"Thanks," she said shyly, glancing down at her neon Pastry's.

"What're your names?"  
"I'm Mindy," the first girl, with red hair and bright blue eyes said. "This is Vanessa, and this is Carly."

"Hi," the last one said. She was the youngest with waist length gold hair. "I love, love, love your song So Listen."

"OMG, me too!" Vanessa said.

"I love it the most!" Mindy pushed Vanessa.

"No, I do!" she pushed her back, and then the little one started to push also.

"Ladies, ladies," Cody grinned, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "No need to fight over me."

"Uh, Cody?" Sydney asked, waiting for an introduction.

"OMG!" Mindy said. "Cody, you are so much hotter in person."

"Why thank you," he said with a grin.

"Cody," Sydney nudged him.

"So are you ladies excited for paradise to come on October 2?" he asked them, ignoring his girlfriend. Sydney raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So excited!"

"I'm more excited!"

"OMG, no you're not I am."

"OMG?" Sydney asked, annoyed. "How annoying is that?"

They all ignored her once again, and so she got up.

"Excuse me," she pushed past Cody out of the booth.

"Wait," he called after her. "Sydney, where are you going?"

"Home. Maybe we can hang out again when you're less busy," she called over her shoulder. As she walked home, she felt her eyes fill with tears. Cody had totally just ignored her because of three fans.

Was that how things were with him? she wondered. Was he only dating her because there were no other girls around, but as soon as there were was she just another girl, just another fan in love with him?

The tears started to fall, and Sydney reached up impatiently to brush them away.

Boys sucked.

**Note: Some Cody/Sydney drama! Haha, I don't know the couple names for this. Well, I know Cody and Jake is Cake but that isn't relevant to this story :p Review, 143! **


	16. Trouble In Paradise

"C'mon, Jake, sit up," Gabi sat on the edge of Jake's bed and shook his shoulders gently. The second they got home, Jake had come upstairs and climbed into bed drawing the blankets close around him. Gabi had taken a quick shower, braided her hair in a plait down her back and changed into her pajamas, then set to work on the computer to figure out how to make Jake better.

"Please just let me sleep," he groaned, burying his face in the pillow.

"Baby, I looked online and I'm supposed to try and get your fever down by cooling off your body. The heat's trapped inside of you and it needs to get out."

"Go away," Jake moaned into the pillow. Gabi closed her eyes exasperatedly. She told herself that Jake's sour mood was purely because of his fever and that he wouldn't be talking to her this way if he were feeling good. She told herself that she was all he had right now, and if she walked away he wouldn't have anyone to take care of him and he'd get sicker. It was a mark of how much she loved him that she took a deep breath and continued.

"Okay, you're getting up whether you want to or not, Thrupp," Gabi reached down and tugged the blankets off of him layer by layer.

"Stop it," he moaned, turning onto his back. "What are you doing? You're crazy!"

"Come on, that's it," she got him to his feet and pulled him to the bathroom outside his room, where she pushed his big shoulders down to sit against the counter.

"Why are you doing this?" Jake rubbed his eyes uncomprehendingly.

"Because I love you," she said, and he replied without thinking.

"Love you."

Gabi grinned, loving the feeling that her heart was full of when he said that and reached under the counter. She grabbed a face cloth and drew a sink full of cool water.

"Okay, take this off," Gabi brushed the cotton of his button-up shirt and Jake reached down to start with the buttons. His shaking fingers fumbled over the top button, so he moved down one. He couldn't undo that either.

"I can't," he said frustrated, giving up.

"Let me, then," she said patiently. She reached up and undid each button, and his shirt fell to the floor so he was wearing a muscle tank and the sweatpants he had changed into. She took the cool cloth and brought it to his forehead. Jake closed his eyes.

"That's too cold," he said, screwing up his face.

"Sorry," she hastily drained the sink and drew more water, this time room temperature. "How's this?"

"Better."

He let her dab the cloth along his face and chest and neck. She was dabbing his shoulders when he pushed her away.

"Jake," she said, stomping her foot.

"I just want to go to bed!"

"You are so not yourself right now," Gabi took his hand, trying not to let herself feel hurt.

"What does that even mean?" Jake asked impatiently, letting her pull him along to his bedroom.

"You're frustrated easily, and kind of obnoxious so if you can't be nice how about you just be quiet?" she opened his room and pushed him down on the bed. He rolled his eyes and watched as she drew the curtains and undid the cap on the water bottle by his bedside table.

"You don't have to be so mean about it," he finally said, quietly.

Gabi sighed, and walked towards the door.

"Whatever, Jake. Goodnight."

She closed the door, and he watched her go with a little frown. But once the darkness and the quiet filled the room and his head sunk a little more into the pillow, all regrets were gone and he was fast asleep.

Gabi walked downstairs and settled herself on the couch. She switched the TV on to an old Keeping Up With The Kardashians and started to watch. It was only a second later when the door opened and Sydney burst in.

"Hey," she said sounding a little breathless. She kicked off her shoes and sat next to Gabi on the couch. "What are we watching?"

"Kardashians."

"Gross…What have you been doing? How's Jake?"

"Charming as always. And by charming, I mean temperamental, moody, and irritating," she turned to look at Sydney. "Hey…have you been crying?"

"What? No," Sydney lied quickly. "Of course not, why would you think…?"

She trailed off at her best friend's knowing look, and sighed.

"Yeah."

Gabi switched off the TV and pulled her legs under her on the couch.

"What'd Cody do?"

A ghost of a smile crossed Sydney's pretty face that Gabi already knew it had something to do with him.

"He totally ignored me in front of these three girls," she said, casting her eyes down. "Like, he just went on and on about how they "didn't have to fight over him" and how "cool their shoes were" and stuff. I tapped him like eight times for an introduction, because that's what a good boyfriend would do right? Well, he just carried on the conversation like I meant nothing!"

"That's terrible," Gabi said sympathetically. "But maybe he was just trying to do business, you know?"

"What do you mean?" Sydney sniffed, wiping a tear that had found its way down her cheek.

"Maybe he looked at those fans as just that-fans. Maybe he didn't want to personally acquaint you because we made such a big deal about him not working."

"So you don't think he was embarrassed of me?"

Gabi smiled compassionately.

"Of course he wasn't, silly," she gave Sydney an affectionate nudge. "He's-"

"Sydney, I'm sorry," Cody's voice rang out as the door opened and he came into the living room.

"Here now," finished Gabi, and she giggled. "I'll be upstairs."

She ran up the stairs and into the hallway that led to her and Jake's room. She looked from each door, wondering which to go through.

She resigned, and opened Jake's door to check on him. He was fast asleep, his eyes shut peacefully and his breathing steady. She walked to the edge of his bed and pressed her hand to his forehead, and it was considerably cooler than in the restaurant.

"Sometimes I like you better when you're asleep," Gabi whispered, leaning down and giving him a kiss on the cheek. She got up to leave, and Jake stirred.

"Gab?"

"Sorry, I was just checking your fever."

"Oh…Can you stay with me?"

Gabi smirked slightly at his change of mood and sat on the edge of his bed. She lay down beside him, and he wrapped his still too-warm arms around her.

"You'll get sick," he mumbled against her hair.

"That's alright…"

oOo

Back downstairs, Cody was on his knees begging for Sydney's forgiveness…Literally.

"Cody, get up," Sydney shook her head as she sat on the couch. Cody had her hands in his and he was kneeling down in front of it.

"Not until you forgive me."

Sydney gave him a sharp look, and he quickly stood.

"I am so sorry for ignoring you," Cody said, sitting beside her instead. "Please, please forgive me."

"No," Sydney shook her head stubbornly. "At least not until you tell me why."

"I didn't realize I was doing it," Cody said, and Sydney glanced at him. His eyes were imploring and seeking hers. Once they locked, Cody's brightened.

"I promise it will never happen again."

Sydney stared at him for a moment, then looked away again as she crossed her arms and pulled her knees to her chest.

"I don't buy it."

"Wh-what?"

"I don't believe that you just 'magically forgot' about me," Sydney said angrily. "Seriously, Cody, you are _not _like that. I've known you for years, there has to be another logical reason why you totally ignored me."

"Fine," Cody sighed. "You're right."

"I knew it," a triumphant Sydney turned back towards him. "Well, what is it?"

"I…"

"What, Cody?" she urged.

"I didn't want those fans to know that I was seeing you. You know, romantically."

Sydney's jaw fell, and she felt her eyes start to ache again like they did when she was going to cry.

"Oh thanks," she said, her voice breaking. She leapt off the couch and started to go upstairs. Cody followed her.

"I didn't mean it like that, Syd, honest!"

"Then how did you mean it?" she brushed the tears out of her frosty eyes angrily. "Because I really don't see how there _could _be another meaning. You're embarrassed of me, aren't you?"

"Not even close," Cody said desperately. "Please, let me explain."

"I'm not good enough for Cody S*mpson, is that it? Because I'm not a celebrity. Or is it because I'm not pretty enough? Is that it, Cody? You don't-?"

"Sydney, stop," Cody's voice was unusually stern. "If you want to just keep yelling at me, then I'm done. If you want to talk this out like adults, then calm down."

"I'm not an adult!" she shouted. "And neither are you! Cody, we're fifteen! You think that I'm just going to sit here and-"

"I said stop yelling!" Cody shouted over her voice. "Please, or I'm done!"

"No, you're not done," Sydney shook her head. "Because I am."

She turned abruptly and walked to her room, trying to quiet the sobs that were fighting to escape from her chest.

"Oh, you are?" Cody asked skeptically, following her. He watched as she pulled a suitcase from her closet and began throwing clothes into it. "What are you doing?"

"I told you," she turned to face him with icy eyes and a quivering frown. "I'm done. I'm going home."

** Note: Sorry for the long wait, and review if you want a quickie update to this cliffhanger! Ahahahaa I'm evil! Review! …Way too many exclamation points there. 143.**


	17. Turmoil

"I told you," she turned to face him with icy eyes and a quivering frown. "I'm done. I'm going home."

Cody stood speechless as Sydney started throwing things into her bag.

"You can't leave," he said slowly.

"And why not?" she shouted. "I'm not having fun here anymore. My boyfriend's embarrassed of me. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

"For the last time I am not embarrassed of you," Cody said exasperatedly, sinking onto Sydney's bed. "Baby, listen. I don't want people to know we're together because of all the hate. Do you know how many people would harass you because of me?"

"What are you talking a-about?" she hiccupped, pausing.

He sighed.

"You and Gabi already get tons of people getting upset because you spend so much time with me. You two laugh it off, but every negative comment makes me feel so guilty. And imagine if those same people found out we were together. It would never stop, Sydney, you'd never be left alone."

She was silent, and Cody got off her bed and walked to the bag she was packing. He gently took the bag from her hands and tipped it, so all the clothes she'd managed to get in fell to the floor.

"Can you understand where I'm coming from?" he whispered, hesitantly putting his arms around her waist.

She nodded slowly, and he gave her a hopeful smile.

"So you're happy again?"

Sydney stared at him.

"No," she shook her head disbelievingly. "Just because you explained doesn't mean I'll just automatically forgive you and forget about it. Cody, you ignored me completely. That's all well and good, but you could've introduced me anyways as just a friend."

Ha, she thought. Explain that.

"I can't," Cody shook his head. "But I can apologize. Sydney, I am so sorry and I would love it if you'd forgive me. I promise I'll never do it again."

"Fine," she said shortly. "I forgive you."

"Great," Cody looked relieved. "Wanna go watch a movie?"

"No," she said, putting her clothes back in the drawers. "I want to go to bed, so leave me alone. I've had a rough day."

Cody looked confused.

"But I thought you said you forgave me?"

"I do!" she said exasperatedly. "But I don't want to deal with you right now, okay?"

"Fine," Cody said looking hurt. He opened the door to leave her room, walked into his where he collapsed in his bed still fully dressed.

oOo

The next morning when Jake woke up, he was too hot. He threw off the blankets and realized that was sweating. He looked around for Gabi, remembering the events from last night. She wasn't in his room.

Figuring she was getting breakfast or something, he stood up and stretched. He changed clothes and walked out of his bedroom. The door to Gabi's room was cracked, so he peeked in. She was asleep, looking exhausted in her own bed. She had helped him all night long, waking him up to give him drinks of water or sponging him off. His feverish recollection of it was that he hadn't been the kindest to her, but she had helped anyway.

Deciding the best way to repay her would be letting her sleep, he walked to Cody's room instead. Cody was awake already and sitting fully dressed on his bed with his guitar in hand.

"Hey," Jake greeted him.

"Go away."

Jake stared at him, and then chuckled.

"What's your problem?"

"I said go away!"

"Yeah, and I've said go away a billion times when you interrupt me and Gabi, but you never do. So why are you all cranky?"

"Jake, I'm freaking serious! Leave me alone!"

"Fine," Jake held up his hands in an "I'm innocent" sort of way. "Whatever, Cody. Let me know when you get over yourself."

Jake walked out of his room and stood in the hallway. Not sure what to do nex, he walked downstairs and made himself some cereal. He drew it out, but eventually his breakfast was done and he was bored again. He checked the clock, and saw it wasn't even eight a.m. yet. It was still too soon to wake Gabi up.

Jake ambled back up the stairs and decided he'd see what Sydney was up to. He knocked on the door.

"Come in," she called, and he pushed the door open. She was making her bed and forced a smile when she saw him.

"Hey Jake," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Way better," he said with a sunny smile at her. He liked Sydney, and was glad Cody had chosen such a nice girl. "Gabi's a miracle, I swear."

"Yeah, she's great," Sydney said with that same fake smile.

"So…what's wrong?" Jake asked casually, like he always did when there was drama that didn't necessarily involve him. Like when Gabi mad at Cody for listening in on her and Jake.

"Nothing, why?"

"Well Cody was in a really bad mood when I just talked to him and you seem sort of different. Did you two fight?"

"Yeah," Sydney said. "But it'll all be alright. Thanks for caring."

"Jake?" Gabi's voice called out from the hallway.

"Well, that's my cue," Jake beamed at Sydney and then stood up. "Nice chatting with ya, Syd."

"Same," she agreed, and Jake walked out into the hallway where Gabi was standing in a pair of fuzzy shorts and a tank top, rubbing her eyes.

"Hi," she said, clearly just having woken up. "Do you feel better? Is your fever gone?"

Jake replied by pulling her into his arm and dipping her, then pressing his lips to hers in a kiss. After a moment, he put her right and smiled at her dazed expression.

"What was that for?" she asked, smiling through her tired eyes.

"Thanks for putting up with me all night, I know it wasn't exactly easy."

"Well I knew you weren't thinking straight."

"Still, I would've punched myself in the face."

Gabi giggled.

"I could never…"

"Could you guys shut up?" Cody's voice came from his room. "I don't want to listen to you be all romantic, okay?"

"What's your problem?" Gabi asked, pushing his door open.

"You," Cody said shortly, and she put her hand on her hip.

"Oh, really? What'd I do to you now?"

"You and Jake won't shut up! I'm trying to play guitar and it's hard with you two out there being all annoying."

"Get over yourself," Gabi shook her head.

"That's what I said!" Jake said, slipping his arm around her waist.

"Shut up," Cody said.

"Why are you being like this?" Gabi demanded.

"Get lost," Cody shot back at her.

"Okay," Jake stepped forward, looking rarely serious. "Cody, stop talking to her like that or else."

Cody stood up, all five feet eleven inches of him and faced Jake with a glare on his face.

"Or else what?" he asked, and Jake stared down at him.

"Get out of my face, S*mpson."

"No, I don't think I will," Cody pushed Jake back and Jake's jaw fell, before his lips curled into a smile.

"Oh, okay, we're going there?"

He pushed Cody back, and Cody wound up for a punch.

**Note: Review! **


	18. At Odds

"Go on then," Jake's voice was full of venom. "Hit me if you're going to."

Instead of punching, Cody let his hand fall and shook his head.

"You're not worth it," he said bitterly.

"Oh, I'm not?" Jake caught his wrist.

"Don't touch me, or I will punch you," Cody said, his eyes stormy.

"What a threat," Jake said, right before his own fist collided with the side of Cody's face. Cody's head whipped back, and then he fixed himself and punched Jake right back. His fist crunched into Jake's eye with a sickly thud, and when he pulled away there was a stream of blood coming from his fist.

Jake didn't look like he minded though, he just punched Cody right back and didn't stop.

"Stop it!" Gabi shrieked. "Jake, Cody, stop!"

"I thought you were my friend," Jake threw another punch, which Cody dodged and then he returned with a punch that landed.

"Sydney," Gabi yelled, her face panicked. "Help!"

"Coming," Sydney called, but it was too late. Cody and Jake were in an all out fist fight, their limbs flailing and marking each other up. Gabi covered her face with her hands and stepped right into the midst of their fight.

"Get out," Jake grabbed his girlfriend's shoulder with a firm grip and pulled her behind him to keep her out of it. "It's fine, Gabi, just get out of here."

"Jake, you're bleeding," she clung to him. He reached up impatiently to wipe the blood out of his eye, and the door opened as Sydney burst in.

"What's wrong, Gab?"

She stared at the scene with very wide, blue eyes. Jake's knuckles turning white as he was holding Gabi's shoulder so tightly, the blood in his and tears in her eyes, and Cody's lip already starting to swell.

"What happened?" she asked astonished.

Gabi wiggled away from Jake and to Sydney, her eyes childlike.

"They got into this huge fight over nothing and started to hit each other and-"

"It wasn't over nothing," Jake interrupted impatiently. "It was because Cody was being a douche for no reason."

"I'm mad, and I already told you to stay away from me so this wouldn't happen, but as always you didn't listen," Cody sounded impatient.

"You were being mean to me so he got involved," Gabi said to Cody, her eyes over bright. She hated fighting with him, and it happened too often. "We were just out there minding our own business, Cody, and then you made another comment and started to fight with him. Seriously, what if you hurt him?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jake turned to his girlfriend, eyebrows raised.

"Look, could you just tell us why you're so mad?" Gabi demanded, ignoring Jake.

"Because my relationships in the toilet over something dumb and there's nothing I can do about it!" Cody exploded.

"Oh, you're blaming me?" Sydney stepped forward and jabbed Cody in the chest with one of her long fingered nails.

"No, I'm blaming Jake! It's his fault we fought!"  
"It is not," Gabi said with a glare.

"Look, I can handle myself babe!" Jake said, brushing even more blood out of his eye. "Stop getting involved."

"Excuse me?"

"You're acting like you're my mum! Breaking up fights, defending me, and trying to take care of me all the time, and it's not your job so just stop!"

"I didn't know you felt that way," she looked hurt.

He sighed.

"I just want some space, okay?"

"Fine," she said bitterly, stepping away from him. "Good. Great."

"Don't take this out on here," Sydney sighed to Jake, who raised his eyebrows.

"Don't get involved with my relationship, Syd, you've got enough to handle with your own."

"Don't talk to me like that!"

"He's right though," Gabi looked at Sydney with a nod at Cody.

"Thank you," Jake nodded to Gabi, who shook her head at him.

"What's that? I can't hear you over all this space."

"Oh my God, could you all just stop?" she asked, her face very annoyed. "I know Cody and I are having problems, I don't need you all throwing it in my face. Especially you, Gabi, you never judge me!"  
"I wasn't judging, Sydney, I-"

"You so were judging," Cody said angrily. "You think your relationship is so much better than ours, but it's not. You're just another one of Jake's toys, don't you realize that? Do you know how many girls he's had?"

Gabi tried not to let anyone see the tears fill her eyes.

"I didn't realize," she said softly, and she shook her head. "But whatever."

She looked around at all the faces, realizing there wasn't a single person in the room who wasn't at odds with one another, not any one of them remained happy or friends.

"Whatever," she whispered again, and she slipped out of the room quietly as a tear slid down her pearly cheek.

"What did you tell her that for?" Jake demanded.

"It's true! You just use girls, and you're using her."

"I swear, Cody," Jake started, pushing Cody once more.

"You are both idiots!" Sydney shouted, angry for the first time all trip. "Cody, I get you're mad because we're fighting, but we were fine! I just wanted some sleep!"

"So you're not even fighting with her," Jake sounded angry. "You're mad at the world for nothing! You caused all of this for noth-"

"Just shut up, Jake," Sydney demanded. "He may have started it, but you could've walked away at anytime. Like I'm doing."

And then Sydney left too, leaving only Cody and Jake.

"I can't believe you," Jake's blue eyes, the left of which was covered in drying blood, disappeared out the door also leaving just Cody alone in his room, lip swollen and bloody.

**Note: Sorry so short! Review for a quick update! 143!**

** ILOVEALLSTORIES: I have no idea why that's happening…Are you sure it's not a chapter you didn't already review? **


	19. A Turn Of Events

Sydney was mad at Gabi for judging her relationship with Cody, when her own wasn't better. She was furious at Jake for the same reason, and for what he was doing to Gabi (who even though she was angry at still cared about). Most of all she was angry for Cody for starting all his drama, simply because she hadn't wanted to hang out with him last night after they fought.

Gabi was mad at Cody for exploding at her like he had twice, and for telling her she was just another girl in Jake's eyes. She was mad at herself for being rude to Sydney for no reason, but even more upset at Sydney for not communicating clearly to Cody that she wasn't mad at all, she just wanted some alone time. Most of all, she was heartbroken because of Jake. The way he told her he needed space when she was only trying to help, the way he probably _was _just using her, like Cody said, and because he obviously didn't care a bit about her.

Cody was mad at Jake for the fight, for throwing the first punch. He was mad at Gabi for acting like she was better than him, and that she and Jake were a better couple than Sydney and himself when they clearly weren't. He wasn't mad at Sydney, but it hurt that she hadn't made an effort to make things better yet. Most of all, he felt stupid. If he had kept his pain locked up inside, nothing would have happened. Sydney said she wasn't mad, she just wanted to be alone for a bit. It was his fault.

Jake was beyond angry at Cody for telling Gabi that she was just another girl he was using, because she really wasn't. He saw her as more than that-Well, when she wasn't trying to take care of him. He was mad at her for getting involved, for treating him like a child. He was sort of mad at Sydney, but admired her for sticking up for her friend the way he had.

Each of them sat alone, locked in their rooms with the door closed tight only venturing out every once in awhile to go pee or get something to eat. When that did happen, though, they made sure the rest of the doors were shut tight to avoid running into each other.

Gabi sat in her room with the balcony open, staring out at the ocean. It was nearing sunset, and the red of the sun dashed off and glinted gold on the ring she was twisting between her fingers.

"_You're just another one of Jake's toys, don't you realize that? Do you know how many girls he's had?" _Cody's words repeated themselves over and over and over once again in her mind as she stared down at the ring, past crying now. Maybe he was right, maybe she didn't mean anything to Jake…

Gabi stood up and debated flinging the ring into the ocean, but really, what would that solve? Instead, she slipped it back on her finger and walked back into her room, closing the balcony. She wasn't feeling like crying anymore, in fact she was unfeeling. She paced the floor and felt her stomach rumble.

Numbly, she realized she hadn't eaten since the previous night. She opened her bedroom door and tiptoed out into the hallway, a little gratified to see all the other doors closed. Nobody would be downstairs.

She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, in the house that had once felt like paradise, and peeked into the cabinets. She found a box of Poptarts and took a sleeve of them out. She was sitting at the table, just as footsteps, timid quiet footsteps came from the stairs. She froze, the Poptart halfway to her lips when Jake appeared. The eye that Cody had bloodied was now bruised and red rimmed.

"Hey," he said sort of quietly.

Instead of responding, she looked down at the table.

"You're not talking to me?"

She ignored him once again and when he sat down across from her, stood abruptly and started her way back up the stairs, deserting the food. She saw Cody's door start to open, and wondered why everyone was venturing out at the same time. When Cody's blonde head appeared, his eyes sad and his lip still swollen.

"Jake's down there," she warned as she walked to her room.

"Wait," Cody called after her, and she turned around. "Can we talk?"

oOo

Sydney walked out of her room and down the stairs, hoping against hope that the others wouldn't be down there. So far so good, she thought as she found her way along the vacant hallway and down the steps.

She turned into the kitchen to find Jake sitting at the table alone.

"Oh, you're here," she said, and she prepared to turn around.

"Wait, Sydney," he said. "Could you listen to me for a moment?"

She paused.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you when you told me not to take it out on Gabi this morning. I really do mean it, I swear," Jake said with a sincere voice. "You were just trying to help, and I appreciate it."

"I'm glad you said that," Sydney said after about a minute. She turned back to face him. "Thank you. I'm sorry for blaming you for the fight."

"It's okay," Jake gave her a smile. "So I've been pretty lonely all day…Do you want to watch a movie with me?"

Sydney stared at him for a moment, thinking hard. Upstairs, Gabi was in her room still not apologizing for the rude comment she had made while Sydney was defending her.

_Don't take this out on her," Sydney sighed to Jake, who raised his eyebrows. _

_ "Don't get involved with my relationship, Syd, you've got enough to handle with your own."_

_ "Don't talk to me like that!"_

_ "He's right though," Gabi looked at Sydney._

And then there was Cody, still being an idiot and causing them all to fight for nothing. If anybody should apologize, it should be the both of them, not Jake.

Jake watched Sydney watch him a little apprehensively, but then Sydney smiled.

"I'd love that."

oOo

"Cody, I don't know what to say."

"How about, "Cody, I forgive you and even though you're an idiot you're still my best friend and I still love you and even though I'm really mad and want to punch you in the face but I won't because your lip is already all messed up because Jake punched you and now I'm going to go make it all better because that's what I do best. Like when Jake was sick how I took care of him even though he was ungrateful and still is, and doesn't deserve someone as amazing as me. Oh, and while we're making your lip all better we can get food because I know you've been up here cooped in this room all day and you probably want to get out, Cody."

Gabi tried not to smile, but failed.

"I can't even remember all that, how do you expect me to say it?"

"I don't," Cody said with a little grin. "All you have to say is that you forgive me for being such a jerk."

"Okay," Gabi nodded. "I forgive you."

"Thank you so much," Cody collected his best friend in his arms and hugged her, then kissed the top of her head. "Thank you," he whispered again into her hair.

"You're welcome," she mumbled into him. "I'm glad you apologized…Now let's go fix your lip."

"Great," Cody said, pulling away. She stood up off his bed where they had been sitting, and he followed her as she opened the door and they walked downstairs.

"Jake should be upstairs by now," she whispered as they crossed the kitchen.

"Looks like it," Cody nodded, but they both paused as they heard a laugh from the living room. Cody pressed a finger to his lips and walked forward, peeking out from behind the wall. When he turned around, his eyes were wide.

"No, I don't believe it," he whispered.

"What?" Gabi looked confused.

"Nothing," Cody shook his head. "Come on, let's go fix my face."

He took Gabi's arm and tried to pull her away, but she got to the living room door first and looked out. What she saw was Sydney and Jake on the couch, her long, tan legs stretched across his lap and him smiling at her and laughing while they watched a movie. He certainly didn't look upset that he was in a fight with his girlfriend, and Sydney didn't seem to mind that she and Cody were at odds either.

"Wow," Gabi walked back to where Cody was. "I didn't think they were that good of friends."

Cody shrugged it off as they walked to the bathroom, where Gabi managed to rinse Cody's lip of the dried blood and got him a cold compress to hold against it until the swelling faded.

"Better?" she asked as he looked into the mirror at his lip, which had gone down quite a considerate amount.

"Yes, absolutely," he said with a smile. "Thank you."

"Happy to help," Gabi said, fixing her hair in the mirror. "I just didn't want to, you know, try to take care of you too much or anything, or act like your mom or not give you enough space..."

Despite her nonchalant tone, Cody could tell that her heart was aching because of what Jake had said, and even worse now that she knew he wasn't bothered by her pain.

"He's an idiot," Cody said.

"Hmm?"

"Jake's an idiot," he repeated. "Don't listen to him, you're so good to him and don't deserve what he's putting you through."

"Do you really think he's just using me?" she asked in a soft voice. Cody saw the pain in her eyes and the sadness in her face, and hated himself for what he had to say.

"Honestly, Gabi," he took her hand in his, not a flirty gesture but something to let her know she really wasn't alone, and even though they fought, he was there for her always. "Yes, I think so. I've known Jake for years and he's never had a girlfriend longer than a month."

She nodded slowly.

"But then again, he's never bought any girl a ring before," Cody went on. "So don't break up with him for something I'm saying, alright?"

"Okay," she said. "I'll break up with him for being such a douche instead."

"Don't do anything yet," Cody held her wrist as she prepared to go to Jake then and there. "Let's just wait and see, alright?"

She nodded again, resentfully.

"I know what you need," Cody said.

"What?"

"You need to get out of this house for a little bit. Come on, let's go get dinner and then we'll go for a walk, okay?"

She nodded again.

"But Cody?"

"Yes?"

"Could we go out the back way? I don't even want to look at him."

oOo

"I'm hungry," Sydney said with a stretch as the movie she and Jake were watching ended and the credits rolled.

"Me too," Jake replied, nudging her legs off of him and standing up. "Let's go look for something."

They walked into the kitchen, and Sydney opened the refrigerator.

"Frozen pizza?"

"Sure."

She took out one of the boxes, Jake passed her a cooking tray, and she unwrapped it and then stuck it in the oven.

"Should we see if Gabi or Cody wants any?" Sydney asked after a moment of silence, speaking aloud the thought that both of them had been thinking. They were unaware that Cody and Gabi had left out the back door a few hours earlier. She really was feeling better about the whole thing, ready to bury the hatchet. Jake had really helped her a lot without realizing it.

"No," Jake shook his head. "I'm still pissed at Cody and Gabi's apparently not speaking to me."

"Oh…" Sydney wondered briefly if she should be talking to Jake since Gabi wasn't but the thought quickly left her mind. "Why, exactly, are you so angry at Cody?"

"He told my girlfriend I was just using her as a toy and I'm not, but I bet you she believes him. And there's really nothing I can do about it now."

"Sure there is," Sydney said, checking the pizza. "You can talk to her."

"Again, she's ignoring me. And I made a big deal about space, so I really can't just go to her after a few hours and force communication."

"I get it," Sydney nodded. "But…Jake, do you love her?"

"I-Yeah," Jake avoided her eyes. "I mean, I think so. I've told her I love her like a million times and I've always been sure, but…Sydney, how am I supposed to know?"

"Huh?"

"How do I know what love is? Where can I judge from? Just because I feel differently about her than any other girl I've ever been with, I can call it love and be right?"

"I guess," Sydney said slowly. "Like, right now, you two are fighting. But do you want to be with her even though you probably don't like her very much right now?"

"Yeah," Jake said, drinking in every one of her words. "I still want her, and I want her to be smiling, even though I personally don't want to be with her right now. Does that make sneeze?"

"Not at all," Sydney shook her head. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"Neither does love, so you're golden."

Jake grinned.

"You're so good at making people feel better about themselves," he said, and he pulled her into a hug which she returned. "I've noticed it with Gabi whenever we fight, whenever Cody's upset, and now."

"It's a special talent," Sydney grinned as Jake pulled away from her. "Let's go sit while we wait for the pizza."

They walked to the dining room table and Jake sat down. Sydney was about to when he foot got caught on Jake's chair and she fell onto him, one leg on either side of him, and the chair fell back.

"Whoa," Jake laughed from the ground. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she giggled from on top of him and they started to separate themselves as the door handle jiggled, and then opened. Cody appeared with Gabi, talking. But all thoughts of conversation flew from their mind at the sight that greeted them; Sydney lying on top of Jake.

"What the hell?" Cody's eyes widened, and Gabi's hand flew to cover her mouth.

**Note: So much drama! I don't know if there's **_**too **_**much though, and it's boring or predictable or whatever…Let me know! Review, and take my poll. It's important 'n stuff. 143!**

** ILOVEALLSTORIES: Yes it was for you! Sorry!**


	20. Making Up Or Breaking Up?

"Oh, hey," Sydney got up quickly. "We were just-"

"That wasn't what it looked like," Jake said at the same time, but neither one of them was buying it.

"I can't believe you!" Gabi looked shocked and angrier than any of them had ever seen her. "Really, Jake? Sydney, you're my best friend!"

"Gabi, we weren't-" Sydney started.

"Why would you do that to me, Jake?" Cody demanded, also clearly upset. "To get back at me for starting a fight? Was it worth it? Was it really necessary to use Sydney, too, for one of your games?"

"I swear, man," Jake stood up to. "We really were not doing anything. She fell, and…" Jake stopped at the look on Gabi's face. Her brown eyes were the symbol of pain itself, tender and broken and dull. Her chin quivered and her lip trembled. "Gabi, I-"

"No," she shook her head, and pulled the ring from her finger. She stepped towards Jake and took his hands in hers. It would have been a romantic sign in any other situation.

"Please don't do this," Jake shook his head, his eyes wide now too. Everything was forgotten, him needing space and her taking care of him too much, it was all gone. Because underneath it all, he really did love her.

"All of those promises really did mean nothing, didn't they?" Gabi whispered, her voice shaking. "You really never loved me, it was all a lie wasn't it?"

"No, of course not," Jake said quickly, but her mind was made up. She dropped his ring into his hands and took a final look at his face, which was as broken as she felt.

"Thanks for making me feel good for a little while," she said to Jake, not even bothering to wipe the tears away from her cheeks. "You're a really good liar."

And with that, she walked out the door, closing it gently behind her.

"Now you've used both of them," Cody shouted as Jake watched the door, as if not believing what had just happened. "Are you happy, Jake? You stomped all over her heart, and now you've gone and made Sydney part of your game, and you know what? That's not cool with me."

"I didn't touch Sydney," Jake said, coming back to his senses. "I swear to God, she fell on me."

"Oh, okay," Cody rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I really believe tha-"

Cody stopped at the slight, familiar and warm pressure on his arm and he looked down to see Sydney with her blue eyes innocent and wide.

"Cody," she said softly. "Me and Jake weren't doing what you think, I promise you."

A shadow of relief crossed his face, but then it was replaced with doubt.

"Look Cody," she continued. "I know we're not having a great relationship right now, but I swear I'd never lie to you. You know me, I'm honest…I promise you we weren't."

"You promise?" he repeated, not daring to believe her just yet.

"With all my heart."

Cody nodded, and then looked down at her hand which was still resting on his arm. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Sydney, I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry."

They both spoke at the same time, and then a smile crossed Cody's lips.

"You are?" he asked. "What for?"

"For not communicating with you last night when we made up. You thought I was still mad, and I wasn't so this is all my fault."

"No, it's mine," Cody found her in his arms, and she felt her heart soar once more, the feeling of being free washing over her.

"No, it's mine," she giggled, and Cody leaned down to press his lips to hers. The same sparks that exploded the first time they kissed washed over the both of them, all fighting forgotten. They were once more living in the moment.

"She's gone," Jake said blankly, and Cody dragged his lips away from Sydney's.

"I guess I should apologize to you, also," Cody said to Jake.

He turned to Cody.

"For?"

"That," Cody nodded up at the black eye, and Jake shrugged it off.

"Sorry for your lip," he said. "And I'm sorry you think I'm using Gabi, because I'm not."

Cody nodded, but it was clear to both of them he didn't truly believe that. There were more important things to think about, however.

"Where do you think Gabi went?" Sydney asked anxiously. Sure, they were fighting. But the fact that Gabi thought that Sydney would ever get with Jake, her best friend's boyfriend, killed her.

"I'll ask her," Jake pulled out his phone and dialed her number. Sydney and Cody watched skeptically.

"What?" Jake asked, the phone to his ear.

"You seriously think she's going to pick up?" Cody asked disbelievingly.

"Why shouldn't she?" Jake looked confused. Sydney face palmed, and even Cody rolled his eyes.

"Jake," Sydney said slowly. "Think about this a second. In Gabi's mind, she just walked into the house after a giant fight with you and I, then saw us…being romantic. She's not going to be happy with either one of us right now."

Jake lowered his phone.

"Then you call her, Cody."

Cody complied and dialed her number. It rang several times before going to voicemail. Instead, he sent her a text, asking where she was.

"Well, there's not much else we can do," Cody lowered his phone. "And frankly, Sydney, I want to have some time with you to heal everything up, okay?"

Sydney glanced at Cody's anxious face, representing everything that meant anything to her. Their relationship, tucked under that their friendship, both of their hearts, this trip…Too much was at stake to say no.

But then there was Gabi, who thought she was being cheated on by her boyfriend with her best friend, somewhere out there in the darkness, heartbroken and utterly alone.

Would she be an awful friend, leaving Gabi out there? But she couldn't put communication with Cody on hold, not again. She bit her lip, weighing the options.

"Just go, Syd," Jake sighed. "Work it out with Cody, I'll find Gabi."

"But, what if-" Sydney started, as Cody's phone buzzed.

"She says she's "at the place where it all started". Whatever that means…"

They were all silent for a moment, until Jake spoke up.

"I know where she is. I'll go, Sydney, you and Cody go talk or whatever."

"But what if she doesn't listen to you, Jake?" Cody spoke up.

"Worst that could happen is I get another one of these," Jake gestured to his bruised eye as he slipped sneakers on and opened the door, leaving Cody and Sydney alone together.

Except, thought Jake, that wasn't the worst that could happen. The worst that could happen would be her telling him that she wasn't interested in being with him anymore, that she hated him.

Which she very well should, he mused as he walked along the empty street with her ring jingling in his pocket. He crossed his fingers, hoping against hope, that she'd take that very ring back.

oOo

"First I feel like I should give you a proper apology," Cody mumbled into Sydney's cheek as she lay beside him in her bed. Rain had started to pour outside in a gentle stream, and the sound was comforting. The dim lights of the room mingling with the sweet smell of Sydney's hair and the smooth touch of her skin against his were truly making his heart feel so much better.

"Okay," she said, sleepily. She was in one of his t shirts and her own lacy shorts, her head on his chest with his arms around her.

"I am so sorry for not listening to you and hurting you," Cody traced patterns on the small sliver of her skin visible between her top and shorts. "You are my world, Sydney. I feel so bad."

"It's okay," she gave him her beautiful, sunny smile, the one that tore at his heart and he couldn't stand it anymore. He reached down and found her lips under his, then started to kiss her with the most intensity and feeling he ever had. She kissed back mirroring his fire, and they only pulled away for a moment to breath before diving back in.

oOo

Jake trekked up the giant hill, the same one only weeks ago he and Gabi had first kissed at the waterfall. It had started to rain, and mud slid under his feet, pushing him back as he fought. The lashing rain and wind blew into his eyes so he could hardly see and bit his skin, but it was worth it. Because he knew that at the top of this hill was Gabi.

He fought through, and eventually got to the top. Sure enough, there she was. Looking much far away then she actually was because of the rain blowing around, but there. Gabi was sitting by the rocks, staring down into the rising water with her head in her hands.

"Gabi," he called breathlessly, but his voice was only taken by the wind. So he ran, all the way to the rocks by the water, which were a lot more slippery than he accounted for. He slipped on the slick grass and fell, sprawling out next to her.

She glanced at him, looking not even a little surprise as he sat up and reached out to her in the pounding rain as thunder cracked overhead.

"You're going to get sick out here," he yelled. She just stared at him, her brown eyes wet with what clearly wasn't rainwater. He reached out to take her in his arms, and when she didn't push him away she took it as a good sign.

But as he held her, he realized it would have been better if she had pushed him away. Because that would have meant she still felt something for him. The way she remained limp in his arms, not even bothering to move, proved that she was empty.

"Please," he squeezed her tighter and spoke into her soaked skin, his lips on her ear. "Please, please don't give up on me yet, baby."

She still was unmoving, like a rag doll or a corpse he was trying desperately to bring back to life. After a few minutes of this, he released her, his heart breaking.

"What do I need to do to make this better?"

Finally, she looked up to meet his eyes with her own, which were very red.

"There is absolutely, positively nothing you can do to make this better," she said, a hint of disbelief in her otherwise empty voice. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

"I can't do that," he whispered, shaking his blonde head as more rain beat down on them.

"And why the hell not?" she was feeling something now, pure anger at the boy sitting only two feet next to her. She studied his face for a few moments, before standing up. She started to walk away, but Jake grabbed her hand and pulled her down on top of him.

"Stop," she pushed him away, hard, but he didn't let go.

"Just listen to me," he said, his voice soft but still loud enough for her to hear over the beating rain, which was pelting them repeatedly. "For two seconds."

"How could you do this to me?" Gabi resigned, letting herself fall back down into the earth as she started to weep once more. Mud was smeared across her sopping wet clothes, her makeup was running, and her hair a mess. "I know I was just a-a toy or whatever to you, but still, I have feelings, Jake. I mean, you're a wonderful actor to trick me like you did, but do you really not care at all? Couldn't you just have some human decency and leave me alone? You got me, okay? You win, I honestly, really loved you. Isn't that enough? Can't you just go?"

She sobbed into the slick grass, her tears mingling with the night's dew and rainwater all around. Thunder pounded again.

"I never cheated on you," Jake said, leaning down so she could hear him. "Sydney fell on me, and I know you probably don't believe me because right now I'm the biggest asshole on the entire planet to you, but you know Sydney would never, ever do that to you."

**Note: Review and take my poll! 143!**


	21. Better Of As Friends

Gabi didn't move as she spoke.

"Okay, even if you didn't cheat on me there's still the fact that you've been using me this entire time," she was shaking, tears pouring down her cheeks. Jake reached down, and even though she fought him off, he succeeded in wrapping her in his arms, tucked into his jacket.

"Stop," she shook her head, but he knew she was too tired and devastated and weak to really get away.

"Please listen," he said with his accent thick and his voice low. "Do you remember the day we met? I told you I loved you."

"Don't do this to me," she begged. She couldn't do it, she couldn't be wrapped in Jake's arms with his jacket warming her and his crystal eyes intensely staring into her, trying so hard to melt her. He was absolutely breaking her heart, he already had. But under all of that pain, she really truly loved him. "Please just don't."

"Don't what?" he asked gently, holding her even closer.

"Don't touch me, don't look at me like that, don't try and get me back," she squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in his chest, simply so she didn't have to look at him. But the only thing that that accomplished was that she heard the sound of his pounding heart against her ear, listening to the sound she had for so many nights sleeping next to him.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm stupid," she said, desperately. "And I'll forgive you for cheating on me and for using me and for starting fights and for-"

"I never cheated on you," he interrupted. "I think if you look deep into your heart, you'll realize that. Again, if you don't trust me enough not to its Sydney. Your very best friend. You've known her for years, you trust her, you-"

"Okay," Gabi interrupted. "Fine, I believe she wouldn't do that to me. But what about you using me?"

"I was trying to get to that," he said patiently. The rain poured even harder, sopping wet on both their heads, just like the first time that had come to this waterfall. "Do you remember the first time I told you I loved you?"

"Yes," she said, feeling her chin tremble. "Why do you have to remind me?"

"Well, that night you said to me "There's no way you could mean possibly mean that", do you remember?"

"I was so much smarter then," she said, her voice breaking. Jake reached out to tilt her chin up with the hand that wasn't holding his jacket tight around her.

"I didn't mean it."

She met his eyes for the first time, feeling her heart ache.

"Wh-what?"

"You were right," he repeated. "I did not mean it. But then, we came to this very spot and you refused to kiss me about a million times. Then finally, when I least expected it, you did. And then you jumped right into that waterfall, and I followed you. We kissed some more, and by the end of that night, I started to develop actual feelings."

"Why would you tell me that you loved me if you didn't?"

"Because I thought you were pretty," Jake said, looking a little ashamed. "I admit that at first when Cody first introduced us, I was looking at you as just another girl."

"Oh so that changed after we kissed?" she rolled her eyes.

"Not exactly," he said again, and she looked a little hurt. "I'm being so honest with you right now, that changed when we kissed again on those rocks and you said "Jake, I think I love you too." Then, if that wasn't enough, every little thing you did made it even more real. The way you let me kiss you goodnight, the way you trusted me to keep you safe, the way it felt with you sleeping next to me all night long, the way you hugged me covered in all that pancake batter-"

Gabi felt the strange urge to let herself laugh, but she held it in, wondering exactly what was wrong with her.

"-and the way you took care of me when I was sick, the way you-"

"Okay, okay," she cut him off. "What's your point?"

"My point is that I couldn't have faked that if I tried. And I know our relationship isn't perfect, but neither is love. And I love you, so much, even if you don't want me back."

"Jake," she reached up and tangled her hand in her sopping hair. "I don't know. I have no idea if I should believe you, I don't know what-"

"You don't have to know now, we've got time."

"Fine," Gabi said, and she took a deep breath. "I _seriously _don't know, though. What if I'm being stupid, starting to trust you again?"

"Then I'd be the luckiest guy in the world," Jake leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, and she only wiggled away half-heartedly. Then she pulled away, glancing around at the place where it was possible that her first and last kiss with Jake would ever take place.

oOo

"I. Love. You."

Cody spoke in between kisses as his lips traveled from Sydney's down to her neck and then along her shoulder to her arm. He found his way all along her forearm and stopped at her hand.

"You do?" Sydney whispered back, her heart pounding.

"I do," he whispered back. This was the first time he'd said this-actually, really said this. Of course, he had texted her 143 or told her "love you" when she went home or whatever, but he had to Gabi too. They had all said it, as friends who knew each other for years. But this was different; this was real, true, romantic love.

"I love you too," she said instantly, because she did. Even when he was a jerk, even when he was breaking her heart, she still loved him.

"You know what?" Cody's voice was soft and sweet in her ear as he lay back down, his arms enclosing her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sound of his heart beating and the warmth of his skin.

"Hmm?"

"We've been here over a month already…"

Sydney felt her stomach plummet, and she opened her eyes.

"Oh my God, you're right!"

"Time passed so fast, right?"

She nodded against him, and he squeezed her a little tighter.

"We'll have to leave soon, you know…"

She nodded again, wishing they could start the trip all over. The Bahamas were beautiful, with the oceans and the soft sand and Cody's hand in hers. Gabi had found Jake, and Sydney grew closer to Cody in a different way than she'd ever thought she could. It was heartbreaking to know that this magical trip, this journey they had all taken together, was almost done.

"We've still got a little time," Cody said, sensing her sadness. "Three more days, we planned for."

She nodded again, too tired to talk. Cody's lips were soft against her temple as they lay together, listening to the rain pound. From downstairs, they heard the door open and then close.

"Jake found Gabi," Cody mumbled into her. Sydney's eyes flew open, and she suddenly stood up.

"What is it?" Cody asked, alarmed.

"I need to talk to her," Sydney rubbed her eyes. "She thinks her boyfriend cheated on her with me, I need to-"

"Shh," Cody's fingers brushed her wrist gently. "Just lie back down, I'm sure Jake explained."

"Still," Sydney gazed into Cody's eyes, finding herself too drawn in to pull away.

"Just lie back down," he whispered again with a small, beautiful smile floating around his lips. She was about to when a knock came at the door, and Jake walked in sopping wet with Gabi behind him.

"Gabi," Sydney stood up, all thoughts of Cody forgotten.

"Hey," Gabi was just as wet as Jake, if not more so, and had his jacket on. Her hair was stringy and wet, her clothes drenched and her makeup smeared.

"I didn't…" Sydney struggled to find her words. "With Jake, we-"

"I know," Gabi nodded.

"I'm sorry though," Sydney said with a weak smile, and Gabi gave her a small one in return. They hugged, and Cody and Jake watched on both looking relieved.

"I'm sorry too," Gabi said, pulling away as to not get Sydney too wet.

"So are you two alright?" Cody asked, looking from Jake to Gabi.

They were silent for a moment.

"What do you mean by alright?" Jake asked slowly.

"You know, are you together? Is it finally back to paradise-happy-land? Do you want to go so you can kiss in private? Are you-"

"Cody," Sydney fit herself into her boyfriend's arms. "Maybe you shouldn't…"

"Oh," Cody said, noticing how Gabi's face crumpled and Jake looked at his shoes.

There was a brief moment of awkward silence before Jake cleared his throat.

"We're going to uh, work it out…"

"Maybe," Gabi looked up at him, and he frowned at her.

"I said I'm sorry, baby."  
"Please don't call me that."

Jake met Cody's eyes, and for the first time he looked like he felt some real emotion, real sadness, real despair.

"Jake, want to talk?" Cody said at the same time Sydney said:

"Gabi, let's go to your room for a sec."

Cody squeezed his girlfriend's hand in support, and then dropped it as they separated; Sydney and Gabi out the door.

"Okay, mate," Cody said as the door closed by Gabi's gentle hand. "What is it?"

Jake was silent for a moment, and then Cody watched stunned as Jake's eyes moistened and a single teat dripped down as Jake reached up, making like he was brushing his hair out of his eyes, clearly ashamed.

"Jake, are you-are you crying?" Cody asked, disbelievingly.

"I messed up big time," Jake said back, his voice breaking as he sank down on the bed next to Cody.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you put the idea in her head that I was using her?" Jake looked up, his crystal eyes with none of their usual sheen.

"I thought you were," Cody said a little alarmed. "But I can see that you're not, I'll tell her, Jake, I'll do anything-"

"It's too late," Jake shook his head. "I know her, there's nothing you can say that'll make her trust me again."

"I've never seen you get like this for a girl," Cody said, still having a hard time comprehending. "Are you okay?"

"No," Jake said, his voice rising. "Can't you see that?"

"It'll all work out," Cody stood up and opened the bedroom door. "If she see's you like this."

"I-don't-want-," Jake muttered thickly, trying hard to get Cody away as Cody dragged him to the room next door. Without knocking, he walked in to where Gabi and Sydney were sitting cross legged on the bed, talking. They stopped as Jake and Cody walked in.

"Look," Cody said desperately to Gabi. "The only time I've ever seen him cry in the twelve years that I've known him other than tonight was when our swimming team in Australia won second in the final round of the championship."

Gabi looked into Jake's face, and she frowned.

"Jake," she said, looking back down away from his eyes. "I think we're better off as friends."

**Note: Review, 143!**


	22. The EndFor Now

"Okay then," Jake turned around curtly. "Fine. If you think that's what's best…"

"Okay," Gabi shrugged and Sydney frowned. "It's settled then."

"Yep," Jake walked out of the room. "Looks like I'm single again. I'm going to bed."

"Okay," Cody clapped him on the back. "See you in the morning, bro."

"Whatever."

Jake walked to his room, and Gabi smiled brightly at Cody and Sydney, only looking a little forced, and walked to her room also.

"Well, I guess that's that," Cody frowned, watching them walk away.

"That's so sad," Sydney's bright eyes were even brighter, clearly filled with tears. Cody smiled a little and pulled her close.

"Don't cry for them, sweetie," he kissed her forehead. "Laugh for us. We're happy, and they'll work it out."

"But we leave really soon," Sydney's voice trembled. "What if-"

"Shh," Cody pressed his lips to hers, the nicest way he could find to tell her to shut up. Sydney tried to smile as he pulled away, but was interrupted by a yawn.

"It's nearly four in the morning," Cody said. "How about we go to bed?"

oOo

The next morning when Gabi woke up, she glanced down sadly at her hands as she stretched. It hurt to see her that the ring was gone, it hurt to think she'd never kiss Jake again, but most importantly it hurt because she thought she might be making a mistake.

Jake had seriously been crying. Actual, real tears. How often had that happened for a girl? According to Cody, not at all. And he'd been so persistent saying he hadn't used her, even his very best friend in the world wasn't positive he was. She'd been trying so hard to save her own heart, but maybe that wasn't what love was about. Maybe love was taking risks, putting yourself out there…

And most importantly, maybe it wasn't too late. Gabi got out of bed, raking a hand through her golden brown waves. She glanced at the clock and saw it was almost eleven a.m. Jake would be awake, definitely. She walked to the door and pulled it open, then walked out of it and knocked on Jake's door. When he didn't answer, she pushed it open. And the biggest surprise of all met her eyes.

All of the drawers were open and empty. The closer door was ajar, and the suitcases gone. The bed was made with a folded piece of paper neatly on it, the windows open and he only sense of movement in the room were the curtains making light swoosh-ing noises as they connected with the bed post.

Jake was gone.

oOo

Cody glanced at the calendar as he dressed in a pair of swimming trunks. Three more days here, including this one. And it was already eleven in the morning, and their flight was scheduled on the Saturday they were supposed to leave at one in the afternoon. They'd probably have to spend the day packing, so that one was pretty much taken. In reality, he only had a day and a half to do whatever he wanted to here in The Bahamas. Today, it was going to the beach with Sydney.

A knock came at the door, and Cody finished dressing then opened it. Gabi was standing there, looking quite calm.

"Jake left."

"Huh?" Cody glanced in the mirror to fix his hair.

"Jake left," she repeated.

"Oh…Well where'd he go?"

"Back to Australia, apparently," Gabi held out the note she had found, left on his pillow. "It says: I'm sorry for drawing this trip to an early end. You are all welcome to stay until Saturday, but I had to leave. I had lots of fun, but all good things come to an end and I couldn't stay anymore with all that has happened. Thank you for joining me on a trip that I at least, will remember forever."

She looked up at Cody, and he frowned.

"I'm really sorry," he said to her, because he didn't know what else he could say.

"Well, I'm not going to stick around either," Gabi said, and Cody was astounded to see that there weren't any tears on her cheeks. "I'm going to get a flight back to Los Angeles. I'll see you in a few days, Codes, enjoy your time alone with Sydney."

"Wait, what's going on?" Sydney appeared at the door already dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a flowy purple top.

"Um, Jake left," Gabi said. "And I don't want to third wheel so I'm going to head back home."

"You can't," Sydney looked upset.

"I have to," Gabi said with a little smile. "If you're really my best friend, you'll stay here a few more days with Cody and have fun, then I'll see you both again when you come back to LA."

"But Gabi-"

"It's okay," Gabi gave Sydney a quick squeeze and then she waved as she headed to her room to pack.

Sydney turned to Cody, and saw his eyes full. Of love for her, of sadness that Gabi and Jake didn't work and now were both in pain, of excitement at the prospect of some alone time (finally!) and mostly of concern.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" Sydney's voice shook a little and she reached up to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"There's only one thing to do," he reached out to take her hand and squeezed it.

"Hmm?"

"Enjoy our last days here."

**Note: That's the last chapter to this story, but there's a sequel I'll be posting soon! So that's technically the end of this story, but it's not the end of their story. There's definitely more to come! So thanks again to all the reviewers and to SydneyCrush for letting me use her as a character! Review a final time? 143!**


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